Catering Assistant

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust; Stanley; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS Pension

27 days holiday + bank holidays

Wellbeing services

Cycle to work scheme

Staff networks and inclusion

Job summary

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust is seeking a Catering Assistant to provide high-quality food and beverage services across Pontefract, Pinderfields and Dewsbury hospitals. You will prepare and serve meals, maintain hygiene, assist in food preparation, and ensure excellent customer service in a busy hospital environment.

The role requires a Level Two Food Hygiene Certificate or equivalent and demonstrates the importance of teamwork, communication, and adherence to HACCP and health & safety

Qualifications

• Previous catering or food service experience preferred but not essential
• Strong work ethic and commitment to providing excellent service
• Ability to work well under pressure and as part of a team
• Excellent communication skills

Responsibilities

• Prepare and serve meals to patients, staff and visitors
• Maintain a clean and hygienic working environment
• Assist in food preparation and cooking
• Adhere to food safety and hygiene regulations
• Provide excellent customer service
• Work across sites including Pontefract, Pinderfields and Dewsbury hospitals as required

Skills

Good food preparation

Follow instructions

Excellent communication

Teamwork

Education

Level Two Food Hygiene Certificate

Job description

Contact information

If you have any queries, please email the Infrastructure Vacancy Control Team via [e-mail]

About the role

** Please note that this role is not on the Home Office list of occupations eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. **

** Previous applicants need not apply **

The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust is a leading healthcare provider committed to delivering exceptional patient care. Our catering department plays a vital role in ensuring the well-being of our patients, staff, and visitors. You will primarily be based at Pontefract Hospital but MUST be prepared to work across all sites including Pinderfields and Dewsbury Hospitals when required.

As a Catering Assistant, you will be responsible for providing high-quality food and beverage services within our hospital. Your duties will include:

• Preparing and serving meals to patients, staff, and visitors
• Maintaining a clean and hygienic working environment
• Assisting in food preparation and cooking
• Adhering to food safety and hygiene regulations
• Providing excellent customer service

Requirements:

• Previous experience in a catering or food service environment is preferred but not essential
• Strong work ethic and commitment to providing excellent service
• Ability to work well under pressure and as part of a team
• Excellent communication skills
• Basic food hygiene certification

** This advert may close early **

Main duties

• Working as part of a team, you will be responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the food preparation and serving areas for patients, staff and visitors.
• A willingness to work in other areas of the catering department is essential to ensure continuity of service.
• Ensuring that food hygiene legislation and the Trusts Food Safety Policy (HACCP) are adhered at all times.
• The hygienic handling of food products in accordance with food hygiene legislation and the Trust Food Safety Policy (HACCP)
• Observation of statutory and Trust food hygiene regulations.
• The post holder will provide a food service to wards and the staff restaurant under the guidance of supervisors to patients/restaurants within the hospital.
• Regeneration of patient food using equipment as trained.
• To observe portion control guidance.
• Serving patient/staff meals in an appetising and attractive manner.
• Ensure that food products are correctly re-generated according to instruction.
• Taking and recording of food temperatures and seeking further instruction where these are outside appropriate temperature limits.
• To be involved in the general cleaning following the appropriate cleaning schedules.
• Appropriate disposal of waste in accordance with instruction.
• Check stock deliveries into the catering department and complete the appropriate documentation.
• Ensure stock is dated and stock rotation procedures are observed.
• Complies with health and safety regulations.
• Observes the quality control procedure within the catering department.
• Ensure that personal appearance, conduct and customer care are of the highest standard.

Essential Person Specification Requirements

Qualifications

• Level Two Food Hygiene Certificate or IEHO – (Basic Food Hygiene Certificate)

Experience

• Previous experience of working in a commercial catering environment
• Allergen Training

Knowledge and awareness

• An awareness of all regulatory catering hygiene requirements.

Skills and abilities

• Good food preparation skills
• Able to follow written and given instruction

Be part of MY team

We are an acute trust caring for over one million people in Wakefield and Kirklees. Our 10,000 staff work in patients’ homes, the community, and our three hospitals in Pontefract, Dewsbury, and Pinderfields (Wakefield). We prioritise our people and values so we can deliver the best possible care to patients. Our team is friendly, passionate, and innovative, always seeking better ways to work.

We support work-life balance and foster a diverse, inclusive environment where everyone belongs. Our staff networks offer safe spaces to share ideas and concerns so we can increase awareness and appreciation of equality, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and especially encourage members of the LGBTQ+ community, ethnic minority groups, and people with disabilities or neurodivergence to apply, as they are currently underrepresented in the Trust.

If you value caring, high standards, improvement, and respect, join the MY team to make a difference every day.

Application guidance: We understand that more applicants are using AI technology to help with their applications. While these tools can be useful, they cannot fully capture your skills, knowledge, and experience. It’s important that you personalise your application. Relying solely on AI is not recommended, as it may reduce your chances of success. Our screening process is thorough, so if you have used AI, please make sure to disclose this on your application form.

Our benefits

• Access to the NHS pension plan
• Generous holiday allowance of 27 days plus bank holidays, increasing with 5 and 10 years of service
• Exceptional employee health and wellbeing services
• Extensive benefits and support, including:
• Onsite nurseries and childcare salary sacrifice scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Home electronics scheme
• Car lease salary sacrifice scheme
• Working carers support and advice, carers network and carers passport
• Flexible working options and family and carer-friendly policies
• Established staff networks, including LGBTQ+ and Race Equality
• Career progression, training and support

Skilled worker sponsorship

You can find out more about skilled worker and health and care visas on our careers site.