Catering Assistant

NHS; Tonbridge; On-site; GBP 25,000; Part time

Job summary

The NHS is looking for a Catering Assistant to join the Tonbridge Cottage Hospital team, working 30 hours a week with a flexible schedule. The role involves food preparation and cleaning duties and is essential to ensuring high-quality meal service for patients and staff.

Benefits

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Automatic enrolment into NHS Pension scheme

Access to NHS discounts

Access to Blue Light card discounts

Qualifications

• Experience in a similar catering role.
• Understanding of good hygiene and health practices.
• Ability to carry out manual tasks.

Responsibilities

• Food preparation and cooking.
• Completion of HACCP paperwork and equipment training.
• Waste management and robust cleaning.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Ability to work independently

Education

Level 2 Food service qualification or equivalent

Good standard of general education including literacy and numeracy

Job description

Job summary

We are recruiting for a Catering Assistant to work at Tonbridge Cottage Hospital. This post involves working30 hours per week; shifts are 11am to 7pm & 1pm to 7pm; alternate weekends and bank & public holidays.Experience within the Commercial Catering industry is welcomed.Please note, this vacancy does not meet the criteria for skilled worker sponsorship

Your hourly rate in this role will be £12.36. Weekends and Bank Holidays attract enhanced rates of pay.Working for KCHFT has many benefits for all of our staff which include:

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays. Your annual leave entitlement increases with length of service.
• Automatic enrolment into the NHS Pension scheme (opt out available)
• Access to NHS discounts and access to Blue Light card discounts

We encourage you to call us here at Tonbridge Cottage Hospital for more information, or to arrange a time tocome in and see us, meet the team and receive support with your application. Anne Fletcher would love to hearfrom you on 01732 376820 or email [e-mail] or [e-mail] else you can chat to our recruitment team on 0300 123 2072 or email [e-mail].

Main duties of the job

This is primarily a hands-on catering position where you will learn all the back-ground skills and knowledge to enable you to complete the role, e.g. food preparation and cooking, allergens and other dietary requirements, completion of HACCP paperwork, equipment training and waste management. Preparing and cooking nutritious meals for patients and staff, along with a robust cleaning down process throughout the shift

Please note, this vacancy does not meet the criteria for skilled worker sponsorship. Therefore, we are unable to accept applications from candidates that cannot provide documentary evidence of right to work in the United Kingdom.

About us

Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we've got a passion for delivering high standards of patient care and excellent services to improve the health of our communities. To do this we need outstanding people who share our values compassionate Aspirational Responsive Excellent

We know a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion leads to better patient care and a happier workforce. We pride ourselves in being diverse and welcome applications from people with varied backgrounds, perspectives and experiences

We ask for information about your protected characteristics on our application forms. This isn't visible to anyone involved with shortlisting or interviewing you, except when you choose to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme due to disability. Short listers will see two ticks alongside your application to ensure they apply the principles of the scheme to your submission

The data we collect helps us to ensure we are attracting diversity in our applicants, that all our colleagues have equitable access to career opportunities and supports us on our journey to being a Great Place to Work

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want you to be able to work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Talk to us about a flexible working arrangement that won't involve sacrificing time for personal interests or family commitments. We'll support you to work flexibly in a way that will suits us both

See where you can go with KCHFTcareer pathways

Details Date posted

02 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,169 a year pro rata per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

846-7229151-EP

Job locations

Tonbridge Cottage Hospital

Tonbridge

TN11 0NE

Job description Job responsibilities

As a community Trust many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. As such you will be asked to confirm you have a full UK driving licence where driving is a requirement of the role to be able to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment, if you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team via [e-mail] quoting the vacancy reference number so we can support you further.

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this in your application. If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know. All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.

Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.

We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.

At KCHFT we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non-clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.

Find out more about the community difference here.

Good luck! We cant wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.

Job description Job responsibilities

As a community Trust many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. As such you will be asked to confirm you have a full UK driving licence where driving is a requirement of the role to be able to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment, if you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team via [e-mail] quoting the vacancy reference number so we can support you further.

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this in your application. If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know. All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.

Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.

We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.

At KCHFT we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non-clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.

Find out more about the community difference here.

Good luck! We cant wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Good standard of general education including literacy and numeracy Level 2 Food service qualification or equivalent or equivalent demonstrable experience

Desirable

• Level 1 qualification or equivalent in cleaning and support services. Functional Skills at Level 2 (Literacy and numeracy/ GCSE grade A-C or equivalent in English and Maths)

Experience Essential

• Experience of working in a similar catering role. Experience of working as part of a team.

Desirable

• Experience of catering in an NHS, health or social care setting

Knowledge Essential

• Understanding of good hygiene, COSHH and health and safety practices. Basic computer skills

Skills & Abilities Essential

• Good interpersonal and communication skills. Attention to detail and presentation. Can work as part of a team and on their own initiative. Able to carry out manual tasks

Personal Attributes Essential

• Discretion and confidentiality at all times Able to manage own time effectively

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Good standard of general education including literacy and numeracy Level 2 Food service qualification or equivalent or equivalent demonstrable experience

Desirable

• Level 1 qualification or equivalent in cleaning and support services. Functional Skills at Level 2 (Literacy and numeracy/ GCSE grade A-C or equivalent in English and Maths)

Experience Essential

• Experience of working in a similar catering role. Experience of working as part of a team.

Desirable

• Experience of catering in an NHS, health or social care setting

Knowledge Essential

• Understanding of good hygiene, COSHH and health and safety practices. Basic computer skills

Skills & Abilities Essential

• Good interpersonal and communication skills. Attention to detail and presentation. Can work as part of a team and on their own initiative. Able to carry out manual tasks

Personal Attributes Essential

• Discretion and confidentiality at all times Able to manage own time effectively

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details Employer name

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Tonbridge Cottage Hospital

Tonbridge

TN11 0NE

Employer's website

https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Tonbridge Cottage Hospital

Tonbridge

TN11 0NE

Employer's website

https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)