Gary Howells questions whether NHS Wales’ reluctance to form private-sector partnerships will lead to worsening clinical performance.
Healthcare systems should be guided by one unshakable principle: delivering the best possible outcomes for patients. Yet in the case of NHS Wales, recent decisions surrounding the development of national data infrastructure suggest that ideological positioning is being prioritised over operational effectiveness – to the detriment of the public it is meant to serve.
A tale of two systems
NHS Wales has chosen to build its own National Data Resource (NDR), a long-term project aiming to provide an integrated, publicly controlled digital health platform. According to Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW), full implementation of the NDR is not expected until 2030.
Yet in the case of NHS Wales, recent decisions surrounding the development of national data infrastructure suggest that ideological positioning is being prioritised over operational effectiveness – to the detriment of the public it is meant to serve.
In contrast, NHS England has adopted Palantir’s Federated Data Platform (FDP) – a system already deployed in over 100 NHS organisations. The platform integrates real-time data to improve hospital operations such as bed management, discharge planning, and surgical throughput. Early results are promising: hospitals using the FDP are treating, on average, 114 more patients per month in theatres, and some have seen up to a 37% reduction in discharge delays.
The human cost of delay
NHS Wales is facing significant pressures. As of 2024, Welsh patients were approximately 60% more likely to be on a waiting list compared to those in England. These delays are not abstract; they affect cancer detection, chronic illness management, and recovery from COVID-19 backlogs.
Syniadau uchelgeisiol, awdurdodol a mentrus.
Ymunwch â ni i gyfrannu at wneud Cymru gwell.
The long timeline for the NDR project means that Welsh clinicians and patients will likely not benefit from integrated digital tools until the end of the decade, even as equivalent technologies are already delivering tangible results elsewhere in the UK.
Politics over performance?
The decision to avoid working with external private-sector platforms appears to be driven as much by politics as by practical or clinical need. The Welsh Government has long championed public sector delivery and has shown ideological resistance to private sector involvement in the NHS, even in non-clinical areas.
This philosophy aligns with values of public accountability, transparency, and service ethos – but may come at the cost of speed, scale, and proven effectiveness. NHS England’s partnership with Palantir was procured competitively and disclosed publicly at a value of £330 million over seven years. By contrast, the financial terms and performance milestones of NHS Wales’ partnerships with contractors such as Better remain largely unpublished.
Transparency and trade-offs
There is nothing inherently wrong with public sector development – indeed, open EHR platforms like Better offer long-term advantages in data standardisation and independence. But the question must be asked: can a healthcare system under visible strain afford to wait?
The decision to avoid working with external private-sector platforms appears to be driven as much by politics as by practical or clinical need.
It’s worth noting that Palantir’s technology – despite public scepticism about its defence roots – has been adopted by NHS trusts, endorsed for operational impact, and integrated within NHS governance frameworks. If political optics are the primary reason NHS Wales has chosen not to explore this option, patients are being denied access to tools that are already improving care elsewhere.
Time for pragmatism
Wales’ ideological commitment to a publicly built digital health system is understandable. However, when that commitment delays access to effective, scalable, and already-proven technology, the cost is not merely financial – it is clinical.
Gofod i drafod, dadlau, ac ymchwilio.
Cefnogwch brif felin drafod annibynnol Cymru.
Patient care should not be sacrificed on the altar of political purity. With waiting times at record high and healthcare professionals under enormous pressure, the Welsh Government and NHS Wales must confront a difficult but necessary truth: the right solution may not always be the one that fits the ideological mould.
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation, financial interest, or connection of any kind with Palantir Technologies or any of its subsidiaries. This analysis is based solely on publicly available information and aims to consider the patient impact of technology decisions in the NHS.
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