The UK government is reportedly preparing to extend Palantir's £330 million contract to run the NHS Federated Data Platform for a further two years, rather than trigger a break clause in February. The report, published by Digital Health News on 6 November, says the move follows a review which concluded that replacing the US firm's system within the next four months would not be practical.

Palantir provides the Federated Data Platform, known as the FDP, which brings together operational information from hospitals and other NHS organisations to help plan care, manage waiting lists and schedule operations. The contract includes an option to extend it by two years, with further one-year extensions also possible.

Ministers have not confirmed the decision

The government has not publicly confirmed whether it will use the break clause. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper declined to be drawn on the question when she appeared before the Health and Care Select Committee earlier this week, while the Department of Health and Social Care said the contract would be reviewed through normal contract management processes. The government had until 12 December to tell Palantir whether it would exercise the break clause.

According to the Financial Times report behind the story, NHS feedback will be used to design a fresh procurement process for the platform, with British companies expected to bid to run it in place of Palantir after the extension. Campaigners have criticised the reported plan: Amnesty International UK said ministers should end the firm's role now, while Foxglove questioned the claim that Palantir could not be replaced in the short term, pointing to bridging support written into the contract.