This year’s NHS ConfedExpo, held at Manchester Central, drew attention not only for its health policy agenda but also for renewed protests over the NHS’s ongoing partnership with controversial tech firm Palantir.
On 11 June, demonstrators gathered outside the venue holding signs and distributing flyers under the banner “No Palantir in the NHS!” The protest, organised by Health Workers for a Free Palestine, focused on Palantir’s £330 million Federated Data Platform (FDP) contract and the company’s reported links to military technology used by the Israeli government.
According to event listings on Find A Protest, the demonstration aimed to raise concerns about the ethical implications of Palantir’s presence within the UK’s public health infrastructure. Flyers distributed at the protest described Palantir as a “hideous surveillance and military tech company” and called for NHS leaders to cut ties.
Sponsorship and Public Concern
Palantir was a sponsor at ConfedExpo 2025 and supported a main-stage panel titled “The healthcare data revolution: building a system fit for the future with the NHS FDP”, chaired by NHS England’s Ayub Bhayat. (Byline Times)
While there is no public confirmation that this session was disrupted, LinkedIn posts, including Jon Hoeksma of Digital Health, referenced protests occurring around Palantir’s presence at the event and noted it marked the second year in a row such opposition had taken place. (LinkedIn)
Last year’s 2024 ConfedExpo saw similar protests, with demonstrators reportedly being removed by security after interrupting Palantir sessions. That pattern of direct action has now continued into 2025.
A Divisive Contract
Palantir was awarded the FDP contract in late 2023 to support the NHS in unifying and managing operational data. NHS England has defended the partnership, citing the platform’s potential to improve care planning and patient outcomes. However, privacy advocates, clinicians, and civil society groups have continued to express discomfort with the company’s background in defence technology and surveillance.
The ConfedExpo protest adds to growing pressure on NHS leadership to address transparency concerns and clarify the long-term role of commercial tech firms in national healthcare.
