Catering Assistant - Burnley General Teaching Hospital

East Lancashire Hospitals Nhs Trust; Burnley; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Part time

Job summary

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking a part-time Catering Assistant to join our hospital catering team. You will help deliver high-quality meals to patients and staff while upholding strict hygiene and safe food-handling standards.

Shifts are 4pm–8pm, 20 hours per week, with some weekends and Bank Holidays paid at enhanced rates. You will follow department recipes, HACCP guidelines and cleaning schedules, supporting a professional, patient-centred service.

Qualifications

• Experience in food hygiene and safe handling practices in a catering or hospital setting.
• Ability to work to cleaning schedules and HACCP policies.
• Experience in serving meals and handling cash and stock as required.

Responsibilities

• Clean premises and equipment according to schedules and hygiene policy.
• Operate and clean automatic dishwashers; prepare simple food items.
• Plate and serve meals to patients and staff; record temperatures as required.
• Maintain stock levels and rotate stock (min/max); assist with ward beverage trolleys.
• Handle takings and secure cash in line with procedures.

Skills

Customer service

Food hygiene

Cleaning

Cash handling

Education

Foundation Food Hygiene Qualification or equivalent

NVQ Level 2 Hospitality/Customer Care or equivalent

Job description

Job overview

As a Catering Assistant with East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, you will be at the heart of our Service ensuring the provision of high-quality catering giving you a great opportunity to really make a difference.

Hours are 20 hours a week working on a flexi rota (4pm-8pm), to include some weekends (All weekends and Bank Holidays receive enhanced payments). Shifts will vary and will include some 6am starts and some 8pm finishing, there will be no split shifts.

We reserve the right to close any vacancies from further applications when we have received a minimum number of applications from which to make a shortlist.

Main duties of the job

MAIN DUTIES

• The cleaning of premises and equipment to correct standards of cleanliness and frequencies laid down in the cleaning schedules and departmental hygiene policiy
• Operating and cleaning automatic industrial dishwashers
• Preparation and cooking of simple food items i.e. salads, sandwiches, breakfasts, preparing buffets for functions and simple diet preparation in accordance with department standardised recipes.
• Plating and service of meals and beverages to patients and staff
• Temperature probing of meals and the recording of temperatures in accordance with department policies
• The issuing of certain food items to the wards with the subsequent correct storage, rotation and maintenance of min/max stock levels
• As directed fill, clean and look after any ward beverage trolleys. Fridges and Restaurant vending machines
• Handle cash, check floats and secure takings in accordance with the Trusts Standing Financial Instructions
• Completion of any appropriate documentation as directed.
• Frequent safer handling of heavy pieces of equipment of food items within the catering department may be necessary
• Preparation of cutlery and other items in readiness for patient meal service
• Duties will include lifting, carrying, bending twisting, pushing and pulling.
• Collection of patient information, menus, dietary requirements using both paper and electronic methods
• To complete training and utilize skills in all aspects of the job role as directed

Working for our organisation

At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.

The Trust is committed to creating a well managed, flexible working environment that supports staff and promotes their welfare and development. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity; we value the contribution of individual talent, skills, knowledge and experience and aim for a workforce demography representative of the local community. We operate Zero Tolerance to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment. We will make reasonable adjustments to ensure our recruitment and selection process is accessible to all. Flexible Working applications will be considered. The Trust operates a No Smoking Policy.

Please note, although this role is being advertised by East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, it will transfer to OneLSC a Corporate Collaboration hosted by East Lancashire Hospitals Trust on 1.11.24. There are no plans to change the location of the role.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Hygiene

1. Maintain a high standard of personal hygiene in accordance with the hygiene policy and current legislation

Cleaning

1. Comply with the H.A.C.C.P (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) procedure and adapt to any new regulation
2. Complete relevant documentation e.g. HACCP.
3. Work in such a way that does not endanger the safety of self and colleagues, by maintaining a clean, tidy and safe work place area in accordance with the Health and Safety Work Act e
4. Cleaning to standards and frequencies laid down in the cleaning schedules, to ensure correct standards of cleanliness and hygiene in accordance with the hygiene policy and current legislation

GENERAL

1. Responsible for receipt, issue and storage of goods, ensuring that the delivery and storage temperatures are correct and those items are stored properl
2. Report poor quality products to a senior member of sta
3. To report any breakdowns of equipment and any maintenance requirements.
4. Communicate effectively and in a timely manner with all hospital staff, the public and colleagues across the Trust and attend regular staff meetings as required.
5. Assist patients to feel at ease in the hospital environment, assist with directional requests as needed referring any medical or other enquiries to the appropriate staff.
6. Check and report out of date electrical Portable Appliance Testing dates to your supervisor for rectification.
7. Report any infestation sighting to your Supervisor.
8. Perform a daily check in the restaurant food display cabinets rotating stock levels according to date and maintain minimum stock levels, ensuring products are safely stored as per legislation disregarding out of date stock following policy and recording this with supervisor.
9. Safely handle and record the disposal of all waste streams from the Catering department to the waste compound, observing all relevant recycling of waste policies and procedures.
10. Maintain and update paper-based records and information as required, including but not limited to timesheets, food temperature, waste records etc.
11. Receive and pass on relevant information to others, maintaining confidentiality at all times.
12. Respond to initial complaints taking appropriate action as required.
13. Perform assigned duties in the event of a major incident in line with Trust Policy.
14. Wear the correct uniform and safety footwear in accordance to the Uniform Policy
15. Adhere to all Catering and Trust wide policies and procedures.
16. Keep up to date with core skills training and attend all necessary training sessions i.e. fire lectures, food safety training, health and safety training, safer handling training and safeguarding training, and all refresher training
17. Support the training of new and existing staff by demonstrating the use of equipment or procedures that you have been trained in.
18. Ensure awareness of when and how to report untoward incidents and how to respond appropriately with patients’ or relatives complaints.
19. Work with other colleagues as a team member in order to meet the standard of service required by the Tru
20. Maintain good working relations within the departmen
21. Work in the department at the times specified on the rota and provide cover in the absence of colleague

Qualifications/experience

Essential criteria

• Possess or willing to complete Foundation Food Hygiene Qualification or equivalent qualification
• Possess or be willing to complete NVQ Level 2 Hospitality/Customer Care or equivalent qualification
• Experience of cleaning in a food environment or similar environment.
• GCSE English and Math’s, grade C or above or grade 9-4 or equivalent qualification in English and Math’s

Desirable criteria

• Previous experience of working in a hospital or hospitality environment.
• Experience of using industrial catering equipment.

Other skills

Essential criteria

• Ability to deal with information sensitively and confidentially.
• Knowledge of Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• Knowledge of the potential of cross contamination within a catering / healthcare setting.

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of specialised diets.
• Knowledge of COSHH regulations.