MORE than 60% of women offered a hepatitis check at Hereford County Hospital have responded.

"It was a very good return and things have gone smoothly," said medical director Peter Harper.

The women, 250 of them, were patients in the maternity and gynaecology units at the hospital between 1988 and 1990 and came in contact with a doctor later diagnosed to be suffering with hepatitis C.

In February 2005 more than 500 women who underwent major surgery at the hospital during that period were tested for the disease but this year the UK Advisory Panel said the net should be widened to include those who had minor treatment, but were in contact with the doctor. The hospital acted swiftly to alert 250 women and special clinics were set up to carry out blood tests.

"Everyone has been co-operative and it will take about 10 days for the results to come through for their GPs," said Mr Harper.

The chances that any of the former patients would have the disease is believed to be remote.

The doctor who developed hepatitis C worked in several hospitals after leaving Hereford and all have been through the same checking process.

After the first alert in 2005 more than 2,500 women in England and Scotland were tested and three had positive results.