NHS England has initiated an independent evaluation of Palantir’s data tracking tools after an analysis found the software did not improve patient discharge rates in hospitals. The move follows a report by the Health Foundation, a UK health think tank, which assessed Palantir’s OPTICA tool—developed as part of NHS England’s federated data platform—and found it had not delivered a significant impact on reducing delayed discharges.
Palantir’s OPTICA software, intended to help hospitals track and accelerate patient discharges, was previously reported by NHS England to have reduced delayed discharges by 15 percent. However, the Health Foundation's analysis contradicts this claim. In a letter to Ed Humpherson, director-general of the Office for Statistics Regulation, Jennifer Dixon, chief executive of the Health Foundation, stated that there was no discernible improvement in discharge performance among hospital trusts using OPTICA. Instead, the upward trend in discharge rates observed before the tool's adoption continued at a similar pace after implementation.
The independent evaluation commissioned by NHS England will review the federated data platform’s overall effectiveness, with a report expected by December 2029.
Palantir’s contract with NHS England, valued at £330 million and announced in 2023, has attracted scrutiny partly due to the company’s connections to the defense sector. Palantir has disputed the Health Foundation’s findings, arguing that the assessment misunderstood the purpose and function of OPTICA. The company stated that the tool specifically supports the efficient discharge of long-stay patients with complex needs.
Palantir contended that the Health Foundation’s analysis grouped together hospital stays of varying lengths, including many short-term admissions under one week, which, according to the company, obscured the tool's effectiveness. The company argued that this approach compared “apples and oranges,” thereby diminishing the visible impact of OPTICA on the discharge process for more complex cases.
NHS England’s decision to seek an independent evaluation underscores ongoing questions about the effectiveness of data-driven tools in improving hospital operations and patient flow amid growing pressure on the UK health system.