Catering Assistant

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust; Frimley; On-site; GBP 13,000 - 16,000; Part time

Job summary

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is hiring a Catering Assistant for a 20-hour week role, working 17:00–21:00 across days including weekends. You will support patient and staff dining, assist with food service, and help maintain hygiene and service standards in Frimley Park Hospital’s catering team.

The role emphasises teamwork, reliability and a positive attitude, with full training provided and opportunities for skill development within a large NHS Trust.

Qualifications

• Good communication skills and the ability to work in a busy hospital catering setting.
• Proactive, self-motivated and able to manage time effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience in a Kitchen/Restaurant or catering service is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and serve meals in a 8-position patient service area, ensuring timely delivery.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness, hygiene and food presentation.
• Assist with food preparation and service, including cashier tasks where required.

Skills

Good communication

Self-motivated

Time management

Teamwork and independence

Education

Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene

Level 2 Food Safety Certificate

Basic education literacy/numeracy

Job description

Main area Catering Grade Band 2 Contract Permanent: 20 hours per week from 17.00pm-21.00pm Hours Part time - 20 hours per week (working 5 out of 7 days - including weekends) Job ref 151-LC5132

Site Frimley Park Hospital Town Frimley, Surrey Salary £14,196 per annum incl HCAS Salary period Yearly Closing 05/11/2026 23:59

Job overview

Part-Time Position Available
Working five days out of seven days a week - 20 hours per week from 17.00pm - 21.00pm.

We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated Catering Assistant to join our busy and rewarding Catering team in Frimley Park Hospital. In this role, you will help deliver a professional, high-quality catering service to patients, staff, and visitors across the hospital.

As a Catering Assistant, you will play an important part in ensuring a positive experience for everyone you serve. Your day-to-day tasks may include serving in patient and staff dining areas, assisting with food preparation, delivering meals to wards, operating tills, and supporting the smooth running of the department.

This is a hands‑on role in a fast-paced environment, ideal for someone who enjoys working as part of a team but is also confident taking responsibility for individual tasks. You must be committed to maintaining high standards of customer service, cleanliness, and food hygiene in line with Trust policies.

Previous catering experience and a Food Safety Certificate are desirable but not essential, as full training will be provided.

As part of the recruitment process, candidates will be required to complete a Maths and English assessment to progress to interview.

Main duties of the job

Working within an 8-position patient meal service area, you will be part of a fast-paced and busy team environment. The role involves supporting the delivery of an efficient catering service, ensuring patients receive meals in a timely and professional manner.

Responsibilities include working collaboratively with colleagues, maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene, clearing away meal trays and service areas after use, and helping to ensure the smooth day-to-day operation of the service. Teamwork, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively under pressure are essential.

Working for our organisation

Please note that this role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the post.

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available.

Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.

We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

As a Catering Assistant, you’ll be part of a dedicated and friendly team, working across the main patient service area and Pinetree's restaurant. You will contribute to a range of exciting duties, from food preparation and serving to helping maintain cleanliness and hygiene standards. Every day, you'll have the opportunity to make a real impact by supporting the smooth running of our services and ensuring our customers receive the best care possible.

Please see the Job Description and Person Specification for further information.

What we’re looking for:

A team player with a positive, can-do attitude who enjoys working in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment.

A proactive approach to maintaining high standards of hygiene, food presentation, and portion control.

A willingness to assist with food preparation and a good understanding of food safety protocols (HACCP).

Excellent communication skills and the ability to engage with a diverse group of people, from patients to staff and visitors.

Flexibility to assist in various duties and areas as needed, from food service to cashier tasks.

In the catering department, we value innovation and customer care. As part of our team, you will have the chance to make meaningful contributions, whether it’s suggesting improvements or supporting the continued growth of our services. Plus, we’ll provide you with training and development to help you grow in your role.

If you are looking for a rewarding role where every day is different and you can be part of a close-knit, supportive team, we’d love to hear from you.

We reserve the right to close the advert early if sufficient applications have been received.

Qualifications

• Good level of basic education – able to demonstrate literacy, numeracy, and comprehension skills
• Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene or working towards it.
• Level 2 Food Safety Certificate.
• Health and Safety, COSHH and Moving and Handling and Food/Kitchen hygiene training.

Experience

• Experience of working in a Kitchen/Restaurant environment.
• Customer care experience
• Experience of working in a service led and customer focused environment.

Skills and knowledge

• Good communication skills – able to read and understand written and verbal communication and instruction
• Self-motivated and disciplined with good time management skills
• Able to plan and prioritise time and workload.
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently.

Special requirements

• Flexible to working patterns to include the weekends.

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) is proud of its strong reputation, record of achievement and ambition for the future. We serve a population of over 900,000 people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and South Buckinghamshire, and remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities.

Our new organisational strategy – FHFT 2030 – sets out our ambition to be the best place to receive care and the best place to work in the NHS. Underpinned by our Trust values – Committed to Excellence, Working Together, Facing the Future, and being a modern, compassionate, Healthcare Organisation – we are creating a culture where our people can thrive and patients always come first.

We continue to invest heavily in our services and facilities. This includes the development of a new hospital at Frimley Park, major expansion of diagnostics and inpatient capacity, and the continued transformation of services across our sites. We have already delivered a brand-new £100m state-of-the-art Heatherwood Hospital, a £49m Emergency Assessment Centre at Wexham Park, and a £10m upgrade to maternity services.

We are also committed to sustainability and the NHS Net Zero ambition. Our new hospital and estate developments are being designed to be environmentally responsible, energy efficient, and future-proofed, featuring on-site renewables energy and intelligent energy systems. Th rough our green plan, we are embedding sustainable practices across all areas of care and operations, ensuring we reduce our environmental impact while improving population health and wellbeing. Our staff are key to helps us deliver on our ambition and to ensure sustainability is a core component of care delivery and our operations.

Alongside estates’ investments, we are embedding a strong focus on digital innovation and quality improvement. Our electronic patient record (Epic), launched in 2024, is already enabling safer, more connected, and more effective care for patients, while giving staff the tools they need to do their best work. Our electronic patient record also supports safe and effective digitised care pathways, savings time and carbon, whilst delivering excellent quality of care.

Everything we do is guided by our values, shaping how we care for patients, support colleagues, and build a sustainable future for healthcare together.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. We would advise that you complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.