Former NHSX AI director to join US data analytics company Palantir

The former director of artificial intelligence (AI) at NHSX is set to join US data analytics company Palantir.

Indra Joshi is believed to have left her role at NHSX in March 2022 and is now set to join the Peter Thiel’s technology company, Bloomberg first reported.

As part of her role at NHSX, Joshi oversaw a number of AI projects, including the AI in Health and Care Award which helped fund a range of technologies at different stages of development, from initial concepts to real-world tests.

A Palantir spokesperson said: “Palantir hires the best and brightest people from public and private sector organisations around the world. We are delighted that Indra has agreed to join the team, which we are aiming to grow by 250 in the UK this year.

“Indra has extensive experience of cutting-edge technologies and their real-world application. She has helped lead standards and best practice in data and AI governance with both the U.K. and international bodies. Indra will work with Palantir’s many customers to help improve their operations and transform their businesses.”

Palantir was contracted in March 2020 by the NHS to help develop the NHS Covid-19 Data Store for a fee of £1. The aim of the Data Store was to help manage Covid-19 data and shape the government’s response to the virus.

The contract was due to expire in June 2020 but was extended for four months at a cost of £1million.

Then in December 2020, it was revealed that Palantir had been awarded a £23million contract to continue its work on the NHS Covid-19 Data Store. It commenced on 12 December and was due to run until December 2022.

In addition, Digital Health News understands Palanitr is a front-runner to win a contract to build a £240million ‘Federated Data Platform’ (FDP). The contract notice for the platform states that the data platform will be an “essential enabler to transformational improvements” across the NHS and will be an “ecosystem of technologies and services”.

Palantir’s spokesperson added: “We are proud of the work we have done with NHS over the last two years in response to the Covid-19 crisis, which included helping to power the NHS’ Covid-19 vaccination programme.”

NHS England and Improvement have been approached for comment.