The Guardian reports that 29 NHS hospital trusts, which NHS England claims have benefited from Palantir’s £330m federated data platform, say they are not using the AI-powered system or its applications. This discrepancy was described as “very misleading” by a senior health official. NHS England maintains that nearly 140 trusts have reported benefits from the platform, but some trusts clarified they only use limited functions, such as data submission, rather than operational or patient-facing applications.
The Office for Statistics Regulation is now reviewing the NHS’s claims after the health service conceded it could not prove a direct link between the platform and increased operations. MPs and campaigners are calling for the government to end Palantir’s contract and consider a UK-based supplier. The Commons health select committee is also seeking a review of the deal.
The findings, based on over 100 freedom of information requests, point to a gap between reported and actual use of AI in NHS operations. For healthcare leaders, this raises concerns about technology procurement, transparency in reporting, and the verification of claimed outcomes. The case may prompt closer scrutiny of future digital health contracts and public sector technology partnerships.
