Palantir lobbied health minister to include GP records in AI platform
Newly released messages reveal Palantir urged a former health minister to extend its NHS data contract to include primary care records, a move critics say contradicts earlier government promises.
By Ricardo Brooks ·
The US technology firm Palantir lobbied a former health minister to consider integrating general practitioner (GP) records into its artificial intelligence platform, according to messages obtained via the Freedom of Information Act. The correspondence suggests the company sought to expand its reach within the National Health Service (NHS) in a way that medical professionals fear could erode patient trust. The company, which was co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel, used a direct WhatsApp channel to argue that combining primary and secondary care data is logical and that its software is ideal for the task.
The push for expanded access occurred in February 2026, even though GP data was explicitly excluded from the scope of Palantir’s existing £330 million contract with NHS England. This current agreement allows the firm to operate the federated data platform, which the company claims has reduced surgery waiting times and discharge delays. The messages, shared with The Guardian by the tech equity campaign group Foxglove, appear to be exchanges between Palantir’s UK boss, Louis Mosley, and former health minister Zubir Ahmed. The communication spans several months from July 2025 to March 2026.
In a briefing document and related messages, Palantur urged Ahmed to get ahead of likely political opposition from doctors and vocal critics. The firm specifically mentioned the Green party leader, Zack Polanski, and Your Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana. Palantir told the minister that while the federated data platform is already delivering strong results, it could provide even greater benefits more quickly with the right ministerial sponsorship.
Medical and patient groups, including the British Medical Association, have opposed integrating GP data into the platform. They cite a lack of trust in the company, which also works with the Israeli military and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. When the Conservative government under Rishi Sunak announced the original deal three years ago, it stated that GP data would not be part of the national platform.
This lobbying activity emerges at a time when ministers are unlikely to end Palantir’s contract imminently. Reports from the Financial Times suggest the contract may be extended, a move that defies campaigners and two House of Commons committees that wanted the company removed by spring. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament last week that a review is ongoing but highlighted the long-term benefit of using the NHS to develop UK sovereign AI. This suggests the government may seek a domestic replacement when the current contract ends in 2029.
Bloomberg also reported that Tom Watson, a Labour peer hired as a full-time lobbyist by Palantir in September, recently wrote to Cooper urging her to keep the contract. He stated that he wanted to ensure Palantir UK meets new social value tests and helps build Britain’s sovereign technological capability.
The released WhatsApp logs show Palantir arguing that applying its software, known as Foundry, to GP data could lead to faster access to doctors and better management of frail patients. The company also claimed its platform would maintain local control of data. Although the department of health redacted the name of the Palantir executive in the documents, the company did not deny it was Mosley. In one message, Ahmed praised a performance on a BBC1 Sunday politics programme, writing, “Great work [on] Kuenssberg btw.”
The Palantir executive advised the minister that the politics of using GP data are not straightforward, noting that the previous government had ruled such data out of scope. He warned that the issue needed to be explained to opponents to prevent them from making hay with it. Donald Campbell, director of advocacy at Foxglove, said the messages showed Palantir lobbying to hoover up more sensitive personal data. He described it as appalling that the firm pressured the minister to bring GP records into its platform despite 2023 pledges, adding that the private nature of the argument was telling.
Tom Dolphin, chair of the BMA council, raised concerns about scope creep, warning that access to identifiable personal data could undermine the doctor-patient relationship. He emphasized that patients must be able to seek care without worrying about which operators have access to duplicates of their information. Marc Farr, chair of the NHS Chief Data and Analytical Officers Network, noted that Palantir appears to be stretching its scope beyond ministerial statements, which said GP data would require legislative change. He stressed that public trust and transparency are essential to realizing the opportunities offered by technology.
Palantir responded by stating that it has long argued data sharing can improve the NHS for patients and taxpayers. The firm said its software helps different NHS organizations share data while ensuring they maintain full local control. It added that it has always been clear that the decision on how to roll out the software rests with the government. The Department of Health and Social Care declined to comment on the matter.
