A SUPPORT worker in the pharmacy at Hereford County Hospital is one of the first in the country to be awarded a certificate for the new NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services.

Janette Hardiman has worked in the department for seven years and the hospital is delighted with her success.

She and Christine Hawkes, who does a similar job at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, are the first two candidates in the UK to complete their training.

By January next year all support workers will have to achieve the qualification and the two hospitals joined in the pilot training scheme at the Worcestershire NHS Vocational Training Centre.

Andrew Davies, chief pharmacist at the County Hospital, said Janette and Christine had gained the awards through their own hard work and the support of their colleagues.

Four more candidates from the department had almost completed their course and three more were about to register.

He was confident all his technical support workers would be registered by next January to meet the requirements of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain's Framework for meeting the minimum standard of competence.

Mr Davies said the staff were enjoying the challenge and were coming up with ideas to enhance working practices.

The pharmacy at the County Hospital, which employs 35 staff, deals with dispensing drugs for the hospital and community hospitals in the county to the tune of £3.5 million a year.