Palantir’s access to identifiable NHS England patient data is ‘dangerous’, MPs say
Summary
NHS England has allowed Palantir, a US tech company, access to patient data that can identify individuals to help improve the health service using AI. This decision has raised concerns among MPs and patient groups about data privacy and security.Key Facts
- NHS England gave Palantir access to identifiable patient data before it was pseudonymised (anonymized) to improve healthcare services.
- Palantir was awarded a £330 million contract to help build the NHS’s federated data platform using AI to combine health records.
- Patient groups say patients were not informed or consulted about the increased access to their personal data.
- NHS England says external workers, including Palantir staff, must have government security clearance and follow strict data access rules.
- MPs, including Rachael Maskell, are calling for the project to be stopped, worried about privacy risks and growing private sector control of NHS data.
- Palantir says it only processes data as instructed and cannot use it for other purposes due to strict NHS controls.
- Public polling shows many UK citizens distrust Palantir’s expanding role in public sector data projects.
- Palantir is also moving to expand its use of AI in UK police intelligence work, which has caused further opposition.
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