The NHS must prioritize data sovereignty and avoid technological dependency on major platforms like Epic.
The National Health Service (NHS) is increasingly dependent on technology platforms like Epic for managing electronic patient records and artificial intelligence. While Epic disputes allegations of anticompetitive behavior, the investigation highlights a critical issue of data sovereignty. The NHS may technically own its data, but if moving that data to a different system becomes prohibitively expensive or technically complex, the practical power sits with the supplier. To ensure meaningful data sovereignty, the NHS must ensure that data is as easy to extract as it is to input. The administration should focus on stronger governance and five key questions: Is it possible to fully extract data? Can another system connect to it? Can we realistically compete? Do we understand the cost of leaving? Could we operate safely if the supplier relationship ended? By addressing these risks, the NHS can build a new architecture where hospitals, clinicians, and researchers depend on a clean flow of information without being locked into a permanent technological dependency.