UK NHS expands Palantir data access and pushes Single Patient Record plan

NHS England will give staff from Palantir and other external consultancies “admin” roles that provide unlimited access to identifiable patient records stored in the National Data Integration Tenant. The change replaces case‑by‑case approval with broad admin privileges, though the NHS says access still requires government security clearance, senior director approval and regular auditing. Critics warn the move raises the risk of a large‑scale breach and could erode public confidence in the health service.

At the same time, the UK government is preparing legislation for a Single Patient Record (SPR) as part of the NHS Modernisation Bill. The SPR aims to combine health and social‑care data into one platform, initially for maternity and frailty patients by 2028, with wider rollout later. The plan cites benefits for patient safety, triage and patient‑owned records, but also highlights risks such as vendor lock‑in with Palantir, complex integration with legacy systems and potential clinical resistance if safeguards are seen as insufficient. The British Medical Association has called for strong data‑controller protections and reassurance that patient confidence will be maintained.