Data analytics company Palantir Technologies won a £330m NHS England contract to deliver the Federated Data Platform in 2023
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Reform UK would use Palantir’s NHS contract to conduct "Big Brother-style" data sharing for US-style immigration raids, health officials have warned.
Data analytics company Palantir Technologies won a £330m NHS England contract to deliver the Federated Data Platform in 2023.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting is urging NHS chiefs to take on their software to ensure the health service is "brought into the digital age".
But many within the health sector fear Palantir's use in the UK public sector, because its AI tools could enable “data-driven state abuses of power".
A report written by health justice charity Medact said the "highly interoperable nature” of Palantir’s software could be used for US-style ICE raids.
The briefing, released on Thursday, was backed by doctors, lawyers, patients and human rights groups from the No Palantir in the NHS campaign.
It urges trusts and ICBs to "urgently decline" FDP, and for NHS England to terminate the contract.
The charity says that partnering Palantir risks weakening patients’ trust while “driving out locally tailored and trusted data solutions”.
In America, ICE uses Palantir software to analyse governmental data and track people down.
The technology is already used by UK police forces and the Ministry of Defence.
Reform announced plans for a UK version of ICE in February, adding that it would use data-sharing.
A Palantir spokesperson told the Guardian it has “no intention of and no means of using the data in the way that the Medact report is suggesting. To do so would be illegal and in breach of contract".
But the company's cross-departmental “drag and drop” capabilities have raised concerns, particularly if Reform win the next election and make changes to the law to facilitate “mass deportation”.
A 2025 Reform policy document reads: "A Reform government will … relentlessly identify and detain all illegal migrants in the UK. Using powers granted by the new legislation, it will automatically share data between the Home Office, NHS, HMRC, DVLA, banks and the police."
A Palantir source said the company engages with an consults the UK government on policy matters, and vice versa.
Greater Manchester ICB has already deferred adopting FDP.
The care board, which has health decision-making responsibilities for 2.8 million people, said adoption “might not present value for money and have public trust risk”.
The Medact report said: "Palantir’s services to other governments, including their contract with ICE, have involved significant cross-departmental data compiling and analysis … There is a risk that a current or future government could utilise a Palantir-run FDP for data-driven state abuses of power in ways which they could not with current NHS data systems.”
A spokesperson for Palantir said: "Palantir software is playing an important role in improving patient care – helping to deliver 100,000 additional operations, a 12% reduction in discharge delays and the removal of 675,000 patients from waiting lists.
"How that software is used is entirely under the control of the NHS with data only able to be processed in accordance with their strict instructions."
LBC have approached Reform UK for a comment.
