Agenda item

Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice to Edward Maxwell of Democratic Services and supplied the text (contact details below) by midday on Tuesday 30 June 2026, three working days before the day of the meeting.  Each speaker should limit themselves to 3 minutes on any item.  Members of the public who have given notice will be invited to speak:

 

·         at this point in the meeting if their questions/statements relate to matters which are not otherwise on the Agenda (subject to an overall time limit of 30 minutes);

 

·         when the relevant Agenda item is being considered if they wish to speak on a matter which is on the Agenda for this meeting.

 

If you are exercising your right to speak at this meeting, but do not wish to be recorded, please inform the Chair who will instruct anyone who may be taking a recording to cease while you speak.

Two statements were received, which were read to the committee:

 

Statement submitted by Adam Rimmer

 

Dear members of the committee,

 

My question relates to the rollout within North Yorkshire of the Federated Data Platform (FDP) provided by Palantir Technologies to NHS England.

 

Palantir has been criticised by the UN and Amnesty international for its likely complicity in human rights abuses across the globe, including but not limited to: oppressive surveillance in the US and Europe; facilitating the genocide in Gaza; involvement in the US-Israel war on Iran.

 

A publicly available online briefing document prepared by the human rights organisation MedAct has been shared with members of the committee prior to this meeting which details Palantir further; including significant concerns about data privacy and patient rights, as well as the contract being awarded by untransparent means.

 

The Parliamentary Science, Innovation and Technology Committee in June of 2026 has urged MPs to use the upcoming break clause in the Palantir contract during a contract review happening this autumn.

 

Through freedom of information requests it is publicly known that FDP products are in use across a number of trusts in the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB).

 

Palantir’s involvement in the health service poses enormous threat to patient data privacy; the deepening of health inequalities; patient trust in health data systems; and potentiates the ongoing asset-stripping and privatisation of the NHS.

 

Finally, individual patient data is due to be removed from GP control and shared directly into the FDP from this autumn. NHS England have confirmed that there is no way for patients to directly opt-out of their data being used in the FDP - this power currently lies with GP practices as patient Data Controllers.

 

The decision of local trusts, the ICB and GP practices of whether or not to use Palantir’s FDP certainly falls within the scrutinising scope of this committee. There is no legally mandating basis for an organisation to use FDP products. This decision therefore sits at the level of our local institutions and would significantly impact local people for the reasons now outlined.

The Sheffield City Council passed a motion on the 24th June 2026 resolving to call upon local and national executives, local MPs and local NHS and ICB chairs to freeze local integration with the FDP.

 

Will the committee:

 

1. Formally recommend that the leadership of the Humber and North Yorkshire ICB freezes all integration with the FDP on ethical grounds, calling upon other ICBs to do the same

 

2. Urgently raise concerns locally with all GP practices in Humber and North Yorkshire ICB about individual patient data being shared into the FDP, and advise practices to update their Data Sharing Agreements to prevent patient data being moved from GP control to the FDP?

 

Response from the Chair

 

The Chair thanked the member of the public for attending the meeting and raising the issue.  It was explained that given the complexities surrounding the question of data integrity and third-party contracts, the Committee was not in a position to take action today.  Instead, it was proposed that a report be prepared for a future meeting of the Committee, setting out the issues in detail and inviting comment from stakeholders and partners.  This would ensure a comprehensive and detailed background which could form the basis of an informed debate.  In response to a supplementary question as to the timing of the report, the Chair assured the member of the public that it would be as soon as possible, and at the next ordinary meeting of the Committee in October as possible.

 

Statement received from Roger Tuckett

 

I first addressed this Scrutiny of Health Committee in May 2022, shortly after a very concerning local Inquest. The need for an updated Autism Strategy for North Yorkshire was recognised.

 

This progressed, a new five-year Autism Strategy was eventually adopted by NYC in March 2025. A Community of Interest group was established by NYC, of which I have been a member since early 2025.

 

15 months post-launch, a number of those with lived experience have been disappointed with the level of engagement, co-production and co-creation. I raised the matter with the Exec Committee on Tues 16th June and discussions on this have since been taking place with Senior NYC Officers and Executive Member. The next quarterly meeting of the COI is due to take place the day before this meeting.

 

The successful implementation of the NY Autism Strategy rests not only with NYC, but also with TEWV, the ICB, the Combined Authority, other statutory service providers including education and criminal justice, and also involves wider societal change. It also requires careful monitoring and understanding of national developments.

 

Co-creation is required not only with those with lived experience (including carers) but also potential Third Sector providers of support, whether their operations are large or very small.

 

Questions:

 

1. Can this Committee endorse the importance of co-creation and co-production with the voice of Lived Experience and the Third Sector in the development, evolution and implementation of the Autism Strategy and its Action Plans in particular?

 

2. Will the Committee Chair meet with me, possible with a few others, to discuss how this is working in practice and whether Rhetoric is matching Reality?

 

3. Will this committee oversee the quality and quantity of co-creation and co-production across the local healthcare system specifically relating to Autism, ADHD and Neurodivergence?

Response from the Chair

 

The Chair thanked the member of the public for attending the meeting and speaking about this important issue.  Noting that the Executive Member had already committed to work with the Community of Interest group, and that the Health and Wellbeing Board had the statutory responsibility for promoting integration across health and social care, the Chair advised that the Committee would request a copy of the Year 1 Update report as soon as it was prepared.  This would allow Scrutiny to identify potential issues with delivery of the strategy or preparation of the plan, and form the basis of a further discussion in due course.  The Chair noted the need for input from all stakeholders when developing strategies, to ensure the best outcomes for residents.