Catering Assistant

North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust; Runcorn; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Catering Assistant to join the Halton Hospital catering team. The role focuses on serving patients, washing dishes, and maintaining kitchen hygiene while upholding NHS food safety standards.

Previous experience in large-scale catering is valued. The post requires good communication, flexibility, and a willingness to work shifts including early/late hours. Training in food safety is supported, and a pro-rata salary is offered.

Qualifications

• Experience working in a catering environment.
• Good General Education and relevant certificates in catering.
• Knowledge of HACCP/COSHH and food safety best practices.

Responsibilities

• Serve patients their evening meals by bulk delivery system.
• Dishwashing, cleaning of equipment and kitchen areas.
• Maintain high standards of food safety and report health and safety issues.

Skills

Large-scale catering

Communication

Hygiene

Education

NVQ in Catering

Level 2 Food Safety Certificate

Good General Education

Job description

Employer North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Halton Hospital Town Runcorn Salary £25,272 Pro rata per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 05/12/2026 23:59

Catering Assistant

NHS AfC: Band 2

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated, enthusiastic Catering Assistant to work in our Catering Team at Halton Hospital.

The successful candidate should have experience in large scale Catering environment and excellent communication skills. The ability to work to a high standard is essential. Enthusiasm and flexibility are required, and a good knowledge of good hygiene is also essential. Hours are to be worked:

Week 1: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10.00am - 2.15pm

Main duties of the job

The postholder will be responsible for serving the patients their evening meal by bulk delivery system. To carry out dishwashing duties, cleaning of equipment and cleaning the kitchen and associated areas.

Responsible for maintaining high standards of food safety. Reporting any equipment faults or Health and Safety issues to the Supervisor as and when they may arise. To adhere to Trust Policies.

Working for our organisation

Our mission, vision and values are at the heart of North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM). They undermine everything we do and everything we aspire to be as an organisation

Our mission is to be exceptional for our patients, our communities and each other. Our vision is to be a great organisation providing excellent healthcare and opportunities to work and learn. Our approach to healthcare is founded on our four core values:

Kind – we are caring, supporting and respectful to everyone

Open – we are honest, transparent and open to new ways of working

Fair – we listen, value our differences and are inclusive to all

One team – we work well together and with our communities

We employ almost 6,500 people from more than 80 nationalities and are fully committed to being an equal, diverse and inclusive employer. Our culture and values ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and that no job applicant or employee is disadvantaged at any stage of their journey.

We are also proud to be an Armed Forces Friendly organisation and welcome applications from members of the Armed Forces community, including veterans, reservists and families.

Working at NCM means becoming part of a dedicated team of clinical and support staff who are passionate about keeping people well and supporting wellbeing. If you share our values and are motivated by making a difference for our patients, we'd be delighted to receive your application

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

***For a full list of roles and responsibilities please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification***

Person specification

Experience

• Experience working in a Catering environment

Qualifications

• Good General Education, Level 2 Food Safety Certificate, Must have an NVQ in Catering

Skills, knowlege and competencies

• Must be able to work on own initiative, prioritizing tasks. Excellent customer care skills. be aware of HACCP principles and COSHH
• Be able to use a cash register and card machine

Specific role requirements

• Must be physically fit, Flexible and reliable, be an effective communicator. Maintain a clean and tidy appearance

Physical skills

• Must be able to use a computer

Further Information

NCM hold a Sponsor Licence; this means that we may be able to sponsor you providing the Home Office requirements are met. To be eligible for sponsorship, there is a minimum set of criteria that must be met and not all roles are eligible. You can find more information on the Government website

Please review your eligibility and the eligibility of the role before submitting your application.

All advertised roles may close early if there are high numbers of suitable candidates.

Pre‑employment checks for applicants with previous NHS service will include confirmation of any Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme (MARS), Voluntary Redundancy or Compulsory Redundancy payments received.

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.

This vacancy is due to close on the advertised date. However, we reserve the right to close the vacancy early should we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We recommend submitting your application as soon as possible.