The Guardian view on NHS records: patients are not raw material for big tech MPs have warned that Palantir’s contract with the NHS risks undermining medical confidentiality by potentially granting “unlimited access” to identifiable patient data to private companies. This raises concerns that patient trust will suffer, and sensitive information could be exploited by Silicon Valley for profit, with benefits accruing to US shareholders rather than the British public. The report recommends activating a break clause to end the contract and explore UK-owned alternatives.

• Palantir engineers could gain “unlimited access” to identifiable NHS patient data, potentially breaching medical confidentiality.
• Patients’ trust could be eroded if sensitive details are disclosed to US tech corporations.
• MPs have warned that Palantir represents an “unacceptable point of weakness” due to its business model of monetizing NHS patient data for US shareholders.
• The report recommends activating the break clause in Palantir’s £330m NHS contract and moving to an in-house or UK-owned provider.
• Public bodies are becoming dependent on powerful technology companies, undermining state autonomy and blurring accountability.
• Concerns are raised about a new £1.8bn digital ID system, with mandatory adoption viewed as wrongheaded.
• Parliamentary votes on each use of digital ID are suggested as a democratic safeguard.
• Peter Thiel, a co-founder of Palantir, has reportedly disparaged the idea of a national health service.