The Post Office has announced a major overhaul of its IT infrastructure, awarding substantial contracts totalling £500 million to Accenture and OneView Commerce. This strategic decision marks the definitive end of its relationship with Fujitsu, the company behind the deeply controversial Horizon IT system, which was at the centre of one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British history.
Accenture, a global professional services company, will take on the responsibility for running the Post Office's existing IT systems, ensuring their day-to-day operation and stability. Simultaneously, OneView Commerce, a retail software company, has been tasked with creating and implementing the brand-new IT platform that will serve as the successor to Horizon. This dual approach aims to provide both continuity and a forward-looking solution for the Post Office's extensive network.
The move comes as the Post Office continues to grapple with the aftermath of the Horizon scandal, which saw over 700 sub-postmasters wrongly prosecuted for theft, fraud, and false accounting due to faulty software. The long-running public inquiry into the scandal has highlighted significant systemic failures and a culture of denial within the Post Office and Fujitsu, making the replacement of Horizon an imperative step towards regaining public and sub-postmaster trust.
The £500 million investment underscores the Post Office's commitment to modernising its operations and ensuring that a similar IT failure cannot occur again. The new system is expected to provide greater transparency, accuracy, and reliability for sub-postmasters, who are integral to local communities across the UK. The transition to the new platforms will be a complex undertaking, requiring careful management to avoid disruption to the Post Office's services.
While the contracts signal a clear break from Fujitsu, the full implications of the Horizon scandal, including compensation for victims and potential criminal prosecutions, are still unfolding. The Post Office's decision to bring in new partners is a crucial component of its broader strategy to rebuild its reputation and ensure a more secure and equitable future for its network of branches.