Sheffield first council to oppose NHS FDP Palantir contract

Sheffield City Council has become the first local authority in England to approve a motion formally opposing Palantir’s involvement in the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP).

The motion, ‘Rejecting the NHS Palantir Contract and Protecting Patient Data’, was approved during a full council meeting on 24 June 2026 after amendments from Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors. It received support from 62 councillors, with one vote against and 13 abstentions.

As part of the resolution, the council is calling on Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) to freeze integration with the FDP.

It also asks ministers to terminate NHS England’s contract with Palantir when the initial agreement comes up for review in 2027. The US software data analytics firm signed a £330m contract in 2023 to provide the FDP, which enables NHS organisations to share and analyse operational data.

Councillors cited concerns around public confidence in the handling of patient data, procurement, and the use of private technology providers within the NHS.

The motion references concerns raised by organisations including the British Medical Association, Medact and Amnesty International, alongside previous scrutiny of the contract by Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee.

The motion also highlights evidence suggesting that concerns over private companies managing NHS data could encourage some patients to opt out of data sharing, potentially affecting health research and service planning.

Dr Rory Gibson, a local resident doctor, co-coordinator of Medact Sheffield and member of the Sheffield No Palantir In Our NHS campaign, welcomed the motion passed by the council.

“Health workers and patients have worked on this campaign locally for the past year, including presenting the issue to the Council’s Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee.

“It has been reassuring to see local councillors addressing the issue of Palantir’s involvement in the NHS with increasing levels of commitment.

“Palantir at the helm of the FDP risks great harm in patient trust in how their data is used; furthering privatisation of our NHS; and the enablement of a company complicit in human rights abuses around the world.

“This motion passing is a heartening reminder of the power of community organising. Community organising has the power to influence decisions far beyond Sheffield and contribute to the national conversation about the future of the NHS,” he said.

Council papers also reported that there had been an organised attempt to dissuade councillors from voting for the motion. Over 300 emails were sent overnight from people associated with the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

The emails argued that because Palantir has links to Israel, refusing to work with the company would amount to a boycott and could be viewed as antisemitic. They also repeated NHS England’s stated benefits of the FDP and concluded by stating that the way members voted would be noted.

Last month, Nirav Patel, head of demand and delivery for the FDP programme at NHS England, said the platform is “here to stay” but the current contract will be reviewed ahead of a decision next year on whether to extend it.

Digital Health News approached Palantir for comment.