The NHS is working with US software firm Palantir to help reduce the backlog of patients waiting for elective care after the pandemic.

Palantir’s Foundry operating system is due to be rolled out across 30 hospital trusts this month, following a recent pilot at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Trust.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital’s digital solution, developed by Palantir, makes information such as the total number of patients waiting by clinician, theatre scheduling, staff rostering, and patient pre-med tests, available on a single platform.

WHY IT MATTERS

According to NHS figures around six million people are waiting for elective care – up from 4.4 million before the pandemic. 

The NHS’s Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care outlines how digital technology and data systems can help release capacity, including beds, appointments, and how clinician time is apportioned.

A case study of Chelsea and Westminster outlined in the plan, says Palantir’s software has enabled a 28% reduction in the inpatient waiting list through validation and better clinical oversight.

It adds that booking lead times have tripled from six to 17+ days on average, meaning patients can be notified about surgery in a timelier manner and reducing the number of cancellations due to lack of staff or patient availability. Also, theatre utilisation has improved from 73% to 86%, over a three-month period.

The solution aims to help prioritise patients with the highest clinical risk who have been waiting the longest.

THE LARGER CONTEXT

Privacy organisations previously raised concerns about Palantir’s collaboration with the NHS on a COVID-19 ‘data store’ platform, due to the company’s past provision of espionage tools and work with the US immigration service on tracking migrants.

The UK government released the contracts in June 2020 after openDemocracy and tech-justice firm Foxglove sent legal letters demanding transparency about the agreements.

Last year, NHS England faced another legal challenge from Foxglove on behalf of openDemocracy, claiming it had failed to consider the impact of deals with Palantir on patients and the public by not performing a fresh Data Protection Impact Assessment.

ON THE RECORD

Louis Mosley, head of Palantir UK, said: “We are proud to be able to support NHS England and the wider elective recovery plan. Palantir’s software helped to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine programme and is now assisting NHS staff in reducing the backlog and delivering the highest standards of patient care.

“Our software is trusted by some of the most important public and private sector institutions around the world, in part because of its advanced data protection tools.

“Data solutions will play a vital role delivering an efficient and modern NHS. The results of the pilot programme at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital have been incredibly promising and we will continue to work with NHS England to develop technological solutions to help reduce the backlog and ensure patients get the care they need.”