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Witness Name: Paul David Johnson
Statement No.: WITN07980100
Dated:
LY Math wth
POST OFFICE HORIZON IT INQUIRY
FIRST WITNESS STATEMENT OF PAUL DAVID JOHNSON
I, PAUL DAVID JOHNSON, will say as follows...
INTRODUCTION
1. lama former employee of Post Office Ltd and held various positions.
2. This witness statement is made to assist the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry
(the “Inquiry”) with the matters set out in the Rule 9 Request dated 3%
February 2023 (the “Request’).
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
3. I worked for Post Office Ltd at NBSC in Barnsley as a Postmaster operation
business enquiries handler from March 2001 to November 2004.
4. I also worked for Post Office Ltd travelling nationwide visiting Postmaster
premises as a Horizon Field Support Officer, undertaking operational training
for transactions or undertaking financial audits of Postmaster accounts. I did
this from November 2004 to December 2019.
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TRAINING AND/OR INSTRUCTIONS
5. In both roles the training provided to me was from colleagues doing the same
job. The training lasted for a few weeks until general competence was
obtained.
6. Training provided to me was to advise postmasters and staff how to use
Horizon. In effect an experienced user teaching a new user. It was fast paced
and limited but usually effective. On site training generally lasted up to two
weeks and telephone assistance was as required.
7. Postmasters frequently had similar questions to NSBC so a pool of general
knowledge was available to advise Postmasters. On site training was similar
as new Postmasters regularly had similar concerns with general learning ofa
new system.
8. The biggest issue Postmasters faced was a limit in time and input that could
be given to any Postmaster. On site training is limited to days, phone calls
were per issue.
9. Postmasters were frequently concerned that everything moved quickly. In
short without having experience staff working for them, Postmasters would
inevitably struggle in their roles.
TYPE OF CALLS
40. Most common calls were balancing enquires and procedures, i.e. Back Office
functions. Similar on site but also Front Office (customer facing) activities.
RESOURCES AVAILABLE
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11.Call handling resources was a computer database which was updated daily.
Skill and experience being required to use it effectively which took time to
acquire. On site it was experience and knowledge.
MANAGEMENT
12. There was a team manager at NBSC and an Area Manager for field work.
13. Both managers had up to ten staff and were generally there for admin
purposes rather than assisting with the day-to-day job
ATTITUDE TOWARDS SUBPOSTMASTERS
14. Most staff were not that bothered about Postmasters, they were interested in
doing the job as quickly as reasonably possible. I would say 25% of staff were
interested in Postmasters and their work and 25% were not. The remainder
were in between.
ADEQUACY OF ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE
15. The assistance provided by Post Office Ltd via NBSC or onsite was good at a
basic level and a good effort but limited in the assistance it could provide. The
product was complication and by this reason, training was limited.
Postmasters really had to rely on their experienced staff to be most
successful.
KNOWLEDGE OF BUGS, ERRORS, OR DEFECTS
16. I was not aware of any bugs etc with the Horizon System.
Statement of Truth
I believe the content of this statement to be true.
Signed:
LYE Marchzv023
Dated:
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