NHS Data Deal Sparks Transparency Row

The UK government has defended its £330 million contract with Palantir for the National Health Service's Federated Data Platform (FDP). This defense follows parliamentary criticism regarding intellectual property ownership and potential vendor lock-in.

Reports indicate that the contract structure leaves intellectual property rights for connecting sosourcesware with the supplier, not the NHS. This arrangement raises concerns about long-term dependency and the absence of NHS-owned sosourcesware deliverables post-subscription.

Officials state the FDP is part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio and has received a 'green' rating from the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority. Projected benefits are estimated at £777 million, against whole-life costs of £1.042 billion.

The government asserts the contract was awarded through a rigorous, competitive procurement process, including a value-for-money assessment. An independent evaluation of the FDP's impact has also been commissioned.

Currently, 123 NHS hospital trusts are reportedly live on the FDP, with 80 reporting benefits. A break clause in the contract in spring 2027 will trigger an evaluation of the service and potential alternative providers.