NHS Federated Data Platform celebrates first birthday

The NHS Federated Data Platform has been rolled out to more than 100 NHS organisations in its first year, according to NHS England.

The platform, which has created controversy since its inception, aims to collate data stored in multiple different systems, making it easier for staff to find the information they need. This includes information such as bed capacity, elective waiting list times, staff rosters and availability medical supplies. So far, 87 acute hospital trusts and 28 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) have signed up to use the platform.

According to NHS England figures, hospitals using the platform have treated average 114 patients more in theatres every month since they began using it.

Chief data and analytics officer at NHS England, Ming Tang, said the platform “boosts efficiency and speeds up care”.

“Its many benefits include the ability to identify those on waiting lists for the longest, highlighting issues that could lead to on-the-day cancellations of procedures, showing when operating theatres are lying empty, and speeding up discharges so patients get home faster,” she said.

“Hospital trusts using the tool are seeing dozens more patients each month and we’re working with NHS organisations to bring these benefits to as many more patients as possible.” 

While NHS England is not mandating the use of the platform, it has paid for licences for all NHS organisations to use it over the next seven years, and have asked them to provide plans for how they will maximise its use within two years.

The NHS Federated Data Platform has been a source of controversy since its inception. In January 2023, NHS England invited suppliers to tender for the platform, anticipating a five-year contract worth up to £360m, which the option to extend, bringing up the value to £480m.

In autumn 2023, NHS England announced that it had chosen a consortium led by American data analytics firm Palantir to deliver the platform.

The involvement of Palantir in NHS data projects always attracts controversy from UK civil liberties organisations, such as Privacy International, OpenDemocracy, and the law firm Foxglove. This is largely because its chairman and co-founder is Peter Thiel, reputed to be a right-wing libertarian and a Donald Trump supporter. 

OpenDemocracy has, in the past, cited Palantir’s “support for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s brutal regime of deportations” as a reason as to why it should be excluded from NHS contracts.

To alleviate worries around Palantir, NHS England wrote into the contract that Palantir is forbidden to use of patient data for commercial gain, and stipulated that although it will be paid for its services, it will have no right to use patient data except as required by the client.

“Patients can have confidence that data in the NHS Federated Data Platform will always remain in the full control and protection of the NHS,” NHS England said.

According to the NHS, the platform will help NHS organisatons apply lessons learned from vaccination campaigns to deliver faster and more joined-up care and tackle long-term challenges such as preventing ill health and health inequalities.