HEALTH staff are returning to education in a pioneering initiative with Darlington College of Technology.

Hundreds of workers, from consultants to administrative staff and chief officers, in hospitals, doctors' surgeries and offices, have signed up to become computer-literate.

This year, about 300 employees will sit the European Computer Driving Licence, a world-recognised standard in information technology operation.

In preparation for a technological revolution in the health service, staff at Darlington Primary Care Trust have taken the pledge, and have six months to learn to use a computer.

The Government is investing billions of pounds in hardware and software, and the Darlington trust is planning to spend £6m on new technology.

The systems will speed up the administrative network and cut waiting times. Eventually the health service will share a communications system.

It will also include an integrated electronic care record system that will allow a medic anywhere in the country to access patients' records should they be taken ill while they are away from home.

Paper prescriptions could come to an end too. Instead, an electronic version would be keyed in at the surgery and sent down the line to the pharmacist.

"Computers are phenomenally important to us in all aspects of our work," said trust director of planning and performance management Paul Steward.

"This is the most challenging IT agenda anywhere in the world. But there is no point investing in all this hardware unless people know how to get the best out of it."

College business development advisor Carol Dawson said: "Some of the health staff come in for classes, some have workshops in the surgery once a week and others do their learning at home using Learndirect."