NHSE quizzed on the link between single patient record and FDP

Suppliers have quizzed NHS England about the relationship between the proposed single patient record (SPR) and the federated data platform (FDP).

Plans for an SPR which would connect NHS and social care data were announced by Wes Streeting, health secretary, in October 2024 and are expected to be central to the forthcoming 10 year health plan.

In response to a “pre-market engagement” on the creation of an SPR, launched in May 2025, suppliers submitted 198 clarification questions.

NHSE said in an email, seen by Digital Health News, that it had distilled the questions into 15 common themes, which have been answered in a FAQ document.

One of the common themes raised by suppliers is about the relationship between the SPR and the FDP, which is operated by Palantir.

The NHS 2025/2026 priorities and operational planning guidance, mandated that all systems should adhere to an ‘FDP first’ policy, connecting their own digital and data infrastructure to the FDP.

In response to suppliers’ questions, NHSE said that it is at “an early stage in the development of the SPR” and no decisions have been made about its architecture.

“The SPR will need to integrate with a wide variety of local and national platforms (such as electronic patient records and FDP) in order to deliver the SPR use cases and vision.

“The FDP programme is separate from the SPR programme and has been engaged along with other relevant programmes within NHS England,” it added.

Another common theme of suppliers’ questions was how the SPR would differ from other programmes – such as the failed 2002 National Programme for IT and 2021 GP data sharing scheme – and how lessons would be learned.

NHSE responded that it is undertaking a “detailed lessons learned exercise of previous national data and digital programmes as well as looking at similar programmes that have been delivered across the world”.

“We recognise that it is critical to ensure we learn lessons from where similar programmes have failed to fully realise their vision in the past,” it added.

Suppliers also asked whether the architecture for SPR would have an impact on existing NHS technology infrastructure such as electronic patient records (EPRs) and shared care records.

NHSE responded that it “aims to re-use and leverage the existing NHS technology estate where possible” and that “all design options remain open, including those that make greater use of shared care records”.

However it acknowledged that the SPR “may have implications” for both shared care records and EPRs.

NHSE added that it has been “engaging with the public on data including specifically on what a single patient record could be”.

Research commissioned by Understanding Patient Data, published in May 2025, found that 61% of the public think that an SPR already exists.

Anna Steere, head of Understanding Patient Data, said that it is “essential” that people understand what an SPR “means for them and their data”.

NHSE said that it has carried out a series of deliberative events with the public on the SPR and would publish a “detailed report” in the coming weeks.