AI and data platforms are increasingly central to modernising NHS operations, but real-world implementations expose technical and operational gaps. Local services are blending national platforms and niche suppliers to keep patient flow steady while building longer-term system tools.
Federated Data Platform: Progress and Pitfalls
The Federated Data Platform (FDP), supplied in part by Palantir, promises shared datasets for system-wide insight. In practice, some Integrated Care Boards such as Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) ICB have found limitations in FDP functionality and pace of delivery. That led BNSSG to extend a contract with Faculty to operate a care traffic control centre while a national “system control centre” for demand and capacity monitoring remains under development. Key barriers include data standardisation, latency, and integrating legacy local systems with national APIs.
Operational Lessons: The Power of Data-Driven Decisions
Recent industrial action exposed how rapid clinical decision-making can relieve pressure. Senior medics authorised faster discharges and direct referrals, which reduced A&E congestion. These actions illustrate workflows AI systems could replicate at scale: short-term predictive models for admissions, discharge-suitability scoring, and automated task lists for bed managers. The lesson is simple: combine actionable analytics with clear escalation paths and frontline ownership to convert insight into throughput gains.
AI’s Broader Potential: Addressing Systemic Gaps
Beyond capacity, AI can reduce common errors and target under-resourced services. Smarter scheduling algorithms could prevent vaccine booking mismatches and send adaptive reminders via multiple channels. Resource-allocation models can prioritise community support where postnatal services are thin, allocating outreach clinicians and virtual appointments based on risk scores. Smaller vendors and clinical teams can trial targeted solutions faster than wholesale platform rollouts.
Conclusion
Forging a smarter NHS requires robust federated data, pragmatic local tools, and AI that supports clinical judgment. Early setbacks with FDP are not a refusal of data-driven care but a call to fix interoperability, speed up delivery and scale what already works at the frontline.
