The Publish Workplace has apologised as soon as once more to subpostmasters after it was confirmed {that a} textual content message supposed to warn department managers of an issue stopping entry to the Horizon IT system was by no means despatched.
As reported by Pc Weekly earlier this week, about 3,000 Publish Workplace department counters had been unable do enterprise after they opened on 20 August as a result of they might not log in to Horizon on the busiest time of day.
The issue was brought on by a disconnect between department methods and a Fujitsu datacentre that left subpostmasters unable to authenticate and go surfing to their methods. A backup datacentre was used to redirect visitors and restore department operations by round 9.30am.
On the time, the Publish Workplace mentioned it had despatched a “textual content blast” informing branches of the problem – however affected subpostmasters mentioned they by no means obtained something. After checking with the safety supplier that was requested to ship the message to registered postmasters, the Publish Workplace has now confirmed that the textual content alert was not despatched.
“We’ve subsequently came upon that as a result of human error, a textual content blast was not in precise reality issued to branches,” mentioned a Publish Workplace spokesperson.
“We’ve agreed a change in course of with our safety supplier in order that any textual content blast request can be escalated to a supervisor within the first occasion. We wish to apologise for the misunderstanding. We are able to verify {that a} message was displayed on Department Hub advising postmasters of the incident on the time.”
Confidence amongst department managers about Publish Workplace IT methods is already low. Horizon was on the coronary heart of the Publish Workplace scandal that noticed 1000’s of lives ruined. Many subpostmasters misplaced their livelihoods and about 900 had been wrongly convicted of monetary crimes based mostly on knowledge from the error-prone system utilized in about 12,000 branches.
Subpostmasters have been ready for a alternative for Horizon since a venture known as New Department IT (NBIT) began in 2021, which was as a result of be accomplished in 2025. Nonetheless, Pc Weekly revealed in Might that NBIT won’t be absolutely in place till 2030. Provider Fujitsu is prone to obtain one other five-year contract value as much as £180m to proceed help for Horizon within the meantime.
The Publish Workplace has requested the federal government for practically £1bn in further taxpayer money for a venture that was in 2021 initially budgeted to price £180m.
Earlier this month, the Publish Workplace introduced it’s bringing in a brand new know-how chief because it awaits funding for the troubled venture. The organisation’s chief transformation officer, Chris Brocklesby, is leaving on 6 September on the finish of his one-year contract, and can be succeeded on an interim foundation by Andy Good, previously transformation director at Camelot, the corporate that ran the Nationwide Lottery till January 2024. Good begins on 23 August.
The Publish Workplace scandal was first uncovered by Pc Weekly in 2009, revealing the tales of seven subpostmasters, together with Alan Bates, and the issues they suffered as a result of accounting software program. It’s one of many largest miscarriages of justice in British historical past (see under timeline of Pc Weekly articles in regards to the scandal, since 2009).
• Additionally learn: What it’s essential to know in regards to the Horizon scandal •
• Additionally watch: ITV’s documentary – Mr Bates vs The Publish Workplace: The true story •
