Responding to news reports that NHS England has awarded Palantir a new deal to transition existing NHS projects into a new federated data platform^1-3 (potentially worth over £400m), Dr David Wrigley, digital lead of BMA’s GP committee, said: “GPs have long raised concerns about the appropriate use of patient data, and today’s decision by the Government to give £25m to a huge US-based multinational company, to do further work on a large NHS patient data project, only exacerbates these concerns.

"The crux of the doctor-patient relationship is trust, and while GPs are supportive of safe and consensual uses of patient data - such as for direct care and legitimate research purposes - we want to see it done in a way that won’t damage the confidence that patients have in the profession, and the care they receive. The BMA calls on NHSE and the department of health and social care to urgently discuss with us how they plan to use confidential patient data within this data platform and what role Palantir will play.”

Notes to editors

1. HSJ - Palantir awarded £25m NHSE deal to ‘transition’ to federated data platform
2. Digital Health - NHS England awards £25 million contract to Palantir to transition to FDP
3. The Register - Palantir's deals with NHS England top £60M – without competition