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Professional-Palestinian medics have blockaded the doorway to NHS England’s base as they name for a contract to be scrapped with a agency they are saying provides know-how to Israel’s armed forces.
Protests in opposition to software program firm Palantir Applied sciences UK have been staged this morning on the well being service’s headquarters in Waterloo, central London.
It comes amid the continued battle between Israel and Hamas, following the militant group’s October 7 terror assaults final 12 months.
US tech big Palantir was awarded a £330million contract by NHS England to create a brand new information administration system known as the Federated Knowledge Platform.
Campaigners say the corporate specialises in AI-powered navy and surveillance know-how and information analytics, and has offered navy and surveillance know-how to the Israeli authorities for a few years.
Professional-Palestinian campaigners have staged a protest outdoors NHS England’s HQ in London at this time
The demonstrators are against the well being service’s link-up with US tech agency Palantir
Palantir was awarded a £330million contract by NHS England final 12 months to create a brand new information administration system known as the Federated Knowledge Platform
Amnesty Worldwide has beforehand accused Palantir of being concerned in ‘critical human rights abuses’ and stated NHS England ought to have rejected the link-up.
Palantir is alleged to have provided know-how to governments permitting them to spy on residents, whereas additionally working with former US president Donald Trump’s administration to implement anti-immigration guidelines.
The platform offered to NHS England is geared toward serving to particular person well being service trusts in addition to the NHS’s 42 built-in care methods share information to enhance care.
Supporters say it brings collectively real-time information on what number of beds hospitals have, in addition to the scale of ready lists for deliberate care and employees rosters.
Palantir’s chairman and co-founder is US billionaire Peter Thiel who additionally helped arrange PayPal.
Knowledge consultants, senior politicians and NHS medics have warned the seven-year NHS deal may ‘undermine public belief’ if affected person information was mishandled.
Others raised issues that sufferers might not have the ability to decide out of their information being shared via the FDP.
The British Medical Affiliation has described the contract as ‘eye-watering’ and ‘deeply worrying’, including: ‘Our fears about how affected person info could also be used and dealt with going ahead haven’t diminished.’
Mr Thiel, 56, instructed an Oxford Union debate in January final 12 months that the NHS ‘makes individuals sick’ and in contrast the UK’s affection for the well being service to ‘Stockholm syndrome’.
He known as for the service to be ripped up and began once more, with elements of it privatised.
Palantir’s chief govt Alex Karp has, nevertheless, stated he disagrees with the feedback that Mr Thiel made as a ‘non-public particular person’.
Mr Karp has additionally insisted NHS sufferers’ information could be secure in his firm’s palms and that NHS issues – together with file excessive ready lists of greater than 7million – have been ‘not solvable with out know-how’.
He instructed the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme final October: ‘We’re the one firm of our measurement and scale that does not purchase your information, would not promote your information, would not switch it to every other firm.
‘That information belongs to the Authorities of the UK.’
In the meantime, Israel’s highest-ranking officer yesterday apologised for making a ‘grave mistake’ after his forces killed seven assist employees by bombing a meals convoy in Gaza.
Former Royal Marines James Henderson and John Chapman and an ex-soldier named final night time as James Kirby have been among the many victims of the ‘outrageous’ drone strike that has triggered worldwide condemnation.
The staff, which was offering safety for the World Central Kitchen charity, have been hit on Monday as they moved meals from a warehouse to distribute to Gaza.
Ships carrying 240 tonnes of meals assist have been yesterday reported to have turned again from Gaza within the wake of the bombing, including to the humanitarian disaster within the slender strip of land.
Rishi Sunak final night time instructed Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu he was ‘appalled by the killing of assist employees’.
In a cellphone dialog the Prime Minister demanded a ‘thorough and clear impartial investigation into what occurred’.
Downing Road stated Mr Sunak instructed the Israeli PM that the scenario was changing into ‘more and more insupportable’ and that ‘far too many assist employees and unusual civilians have misplaced their lives in Gaza’.
A No 10 spokesman stated: ‘The UK expects to see quick motion by Israel to finish restrictions on humanitarian assist, deconflict with the UN and assist businesses, defend civilians and restore important infrastructure like hospitals and water networks.
‘The Prime Minister reiterated that Israel’s rightful goal of defeating Hamas wouldn’t be achieved by permitting a humanitarian disaster in Gaza.’
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