The Guardian view on NHS records: patients are not raw material for big tech | Editorial
Summary
A UK parliamentary committee criticized the NHS for allowing the US tech company Palantir broad access to identifiable patient data. They recommended ending the £330 million contract with Palantir in 2027, citing concerns about privacy, reliance on foreign companies, and lack of government control over sensitive data.Key Facts
- Palantir engineers were reportedly given unlimited access to identifiable NHS patient data.
- NHS England expanded data access to private companies for easier processing, raising privacy concerns.
- The NHS paid Palantir £330 million for its services under this contract.
- Nicola Byrne, the UK government’s national data guardian, said the NHS broke its promise to limit data access.
- The parliamentary science, innovation and technology committee called Palantir an “unacceptable point of weakness.”
- Palantir is a US company linked to military and immigration contracts, and its co-founder Peter Thiel has criticized national health services.
- The committee suggested replacing Palantir with UK-owned or in-house providers and emphasized higher standards for handling public data.
- The committee also expressed doubts about the government’s planned £1.8 billion digital ID system for public services.
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