BMA GP leader urges colleagues to write to MP about Palantir’s NHS data contract
GPs have been asked to urge their MP to debate tech firm Palantir’s contract for the federated data platform (FDP) – which includes GP patient data.
BMA GP committee chair Dr Katie Bramall shared a template letter from tech pressure group Foxglove, stating GPs ‘must further increase pressure on the Government to ditch Palantir’.
MPs have the opportunity to debate the FDP on Thursday (16 April) in a Westminster Hall debate, following a report in the Financial Times that the Government is considering activating a break clause in the FDP contract next year.
The FDP is intended to link data from across NHS organisations to support both planning and direct care, and began rolling out in NHS trusts in 2024. All but one of 42 ICBs were ‘live’ with the platform as of February 2026, according to NHS England.
Palantir was awarded a £330m, seven-year contract in 2023 to deliver the FDP.
Dr Bramall said on social media: ‘This is a major opportunity – the first full parliamentary debate on the FDP/single care record since the Financial Times revealed that ministers are actively exploring triggering the break clause in Palantir’s contract.
‘As GPs we must further increase pressure on the government to ditch Palantir. The more MPs that take part in the debate, the stronger the message to govt to cancel the contract.’
The Palantir FDP contract has drawn criticism from the BMA, which last year passed a motion at its annual representative meeting (ARM) urging the NHS to cut ties with the company – calling it ‘an unacceptable choice of partner’ to handle patient data.
Palantir responded to this criticism by accusing the union of putting ‘ideology over patient interest’.
Westminster Hall debates are not voted on and attendance is voluntary, but they allow backbench MPs from any party to raise issues, and the views expressed then receive a response from a Government minister.
A Palantir spokesperson told Pulse: ‘Having a review clause in a contract is good and normal practice. Yet the clear evidence of the past two years of delivery is that our software is helping. The programme has delivered 110,000 additional operations and counting; a 15% reduction in discharge delays and a 6.8% increase in the number of patients who have to wait less than 28 days to find out whether they have cancer.
‘In achieving those results, the programme is hitting its milestones – with a green delivery rating – something which fewer than 15% of major Government programmes have achieved. It is forecast to deliver a £5 return for every pound spent.’
Pulse has asked the Department of Health and Social Care to respond to the reports that the Government is exploring the break clause in the Palantir contract.
