NHS: Databases
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to undertake a public consultation prior to any decision to end, extend, renew, or expand the NHS Federated Data Platform contract in 2026.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The NHS Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) safely connects information from different systems across the National Health Service into a single, secure environment. This allows staff to co-ordinate care better to improve outcomes for patients.
The NHS FDP is delivering for the NHS, helping people get the care they need quicker and more efficiently. Since March 2024, more than 100,000 additional patients have been supported to undergo procedures in theatres partly by increasing theatre utilisation. Nearly 94,000 people have been supported on their cancer journey, with 7% seeing a reduction in the time it took to diagnose their cancer. There has been a 14% decrease in delays discharging patients staying in hospital for more than seven days, freeing up beds for those who need them most. NHS England publishes quarterly information on benefits realised from the FDP, which is available at the following link:
As of the end of May 2026, 170 trusts have signed up for the NHS FDP, including the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
NHS England will be reviewing the NHS FDP contract this year, in line with standard contract management processes, to inform a decision on whether to exercise the optional two-year extension.
There are no plans to undertake a public consultation in relation to the NHS FDP contract.
Public and patient involvement remains an important part of the NHS FDP programme. NHS England continues to seek views from both the public and a dedicated patient panel which contributes to the design and delivery of services. The programme also maintains ongoing engagement through established governance arrangements, including public involvement and transparency mechanisms, and regularly publishes information on the platform’s governance, uptake, and benefits.
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