Britain's NHS to grant Palantir contractors 'unlimited access' to patient data, FT reports
Overview of NHS Data Access and Palantir Involvement
Background on NHS Data Integration
May 11 (Reuters) - Britain's state-run National Health Service (NHS) is granting staff from companies including Palantir "unlimited access" to identifiable patient data while working on its flagship National Data Integration Tenant (NDIT) platform, the Financial Times reported on Monday.
NHS England has agreed to create an "admin" role granting non-staff "unlimited access" to the NDIT and identifiable patient data, the FT report said, citing an internal briefing note.
The Federated Data Platform
The NDIT is housed under the Federated Data Platform, which links disparate NHS datasets into a single system.
Data Security and Access Controls
Policies and Compliance
An NHS spokesperson said Britain's health service has "strict policies" governing access to patient data and conducts regular audits to ensure compliance.
Any external access requires government security clearance and approval from a director-level official, the spokesperson added.
Palantir's Role and Legal Framework
Palantir is legally designated as a "data processor", while its customers are "data controllers", meaning its software can process data only in line with customer instructions, a spokesperson for the firm said.
Any other use would be illegal and "technically impossible" due to access controls overseen by the NHS, the spokesperson added.
Contracts and Public Concerns
Palantir's NHS and Government Contracts
Palantir won a 330 million pound ($448 million) contract to develop the NDIT in 2023. It has also secured contracts with Britain's Defence Ministry and Financial Conduct Authority, deals that have drawn scrutiny due to its work with U.S. government defence agencies.
Public Interest and Recommendations
"There is currently considerable public interest and concern about how much access to patient data Palantir/Palantir staff have," the briefing note viewed by the FT said.
Recommendations for Limiting Access
The note recommends a time-limited and regularly reviewed cap on the number of external admins with access to the NDIT, it added.
Officials confirmed to the FT that the recommendation in the briefing note had been accepted in recent weeks but said it would apply to only a small number of non-NHS staff.
Additional Information
($1 = 0.7359 pounds)
(Reporting by Ananya Palyekar in Bengaluru and Anna Peverieri in Barcelona; Editing by Janane Venkatraman/Keith Weir)
