Imperial College Wins Contract to Assess FDP Evaluations

Key Takeaways

Imperial College Projects receives a £700,000 contract from NHS England to evaluate the Federated Data Platform (FDP).
The evaluation will focus on the FDP’s impact, operational factors, and data quality, with findings expected by 2029.
Some NHS trusts are hesitant to adopt the FDP, citing concerns over existing local systems, despite the onboarding of 167 trusts.

Evaluation of the Federated Data Platform

Imperial College Projects has secured a £700,000 contract from NHS England to assess the Federated Data Platform (FDP) over the next three years. The evaluation aims to evaluate the effectiveness and future impact of the FDP, which was developed by US software company Palantir under a £330 million contract in 2023.

The assessment is set to begin in March 2026, with the goal of determining whether the FDP’s objectives have been met and capturing key insights to demonstrate value for money and accountability to stakeholders. The evaluation will encompass operational factors, including data quality, organizational readiness, and local systems’ capacity to leverage the platform effectively.

According to NHS England’s notice, this evaluation is necessary given the “scale and complexity of FDP”, which falls under the Government Major Projects Portfolio. The contract awarded includes a value of £700,237, inclusive of VAT, and was finalized on January 29, 2026, following a competitive tender process that received seven submissions.

In its medium-term planning framework published in October 2025, NHS England mandated that all trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs) must adopt the FDP to utilize its core products. These products support essential services such as elective recovery and cancer care. However, resistance has arisen from many NHS trusts that maintain effective local systems and question the necessity of adopting the FDP.

Despite 167 NHS trusts having onboarded to the platform, as of February 2025, only 79 were actively reporting benefits. Mark Bailie, chair of the NHSE data, digital and technology committee, highlighted the need to accelerate the rollout and comprehensive adoption of the FDP, stressing that most implementations do not yet incorporate the full array of tools available.

Several major NHS acute trusts, including the University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust and University College London Hospitals FT, have yet to adopt the FDP, reflecting ongoing skepticism. Notably, Greater Manchester is the only ICB that has not agreed to join the platform.

Further support for understanding the barriers to FDP adoption is being provided by a £42,000 contract awarded to Akesco and Company in December 2025. This consultancy will research user needs and identify challenges faced by trusts and ICSs in implementing the FDP.

Additionally, the British Medical Association has expressed concerns about the use of the FDP in a rapid response published in January in the BMJ, particularly relating to ethical issues surrounding Palantir’s cooperation with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The complex landscape surrounding the FDP reflects both its potential benefits for NHS organizations and the challenges associated with its wider adoption across the healthcare system. Digital Health News has reached out to NHS England and Imperial College Projects for further comments on these developments.

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