Cost of Palantir NHS contract grows as new extension agreed

The NHS has renewed its data platform service contract with the US firm Palantir, doubling the previous £11.5m fee. The contract lasts six months, with Palantir to provide support to the NHS’s Federated Data Platform (FDP) from 12 December 2022 to 22 June 2023. The FDP could potentially host tens of millions of electronic health records, without requiring patient consent. Palantir has worked with the NHS since the Covid-19 pandemic, but privacy experts have raised concerns about the company’s operations and alliances.