Catering Assistant / Restaurant

ESHT; Eastbourne; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff development

NHS pension

Onsite parking from £50/year

Staff restaurant access

Job summary

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust is seeking a Catering Assistant to join the Eastbourne Hospital catering team. You will support the busy staff restaurant, stock items, serve meals and help maintain a clean, compliant service for colleagues and visitors.

The role involves using the EPOS system, handling cash, keeping records, and liaising with the catering management to deliver a cost‑effective, high‑quality catering service on a 37.5‑hour rota.

Qualifications

• Evidence of standard level of education to GCSE level.
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate.
• Physically able to lift weights.
• Cash handling and EPOS experience.

Responsibilities

• Stocking up and food service in staff restaurant.
• Catering documentation and records.
• Use of EPOS system and hygiene tasks.
• Communicate effectively with the catering team.

Skills

Food service

Stock management

EPOS handling

Communication

Education

GCSE level

Basic Food Hygiene Certificate

Job description

The issues affecting Microsoft services have been improving but disruption is continuing and we cannot be sure services are fully restored. Please see below for further information

The majority of our hospital-based services are operating as usual, and procedures are going ahead as planned. Please attend any appointments you have scheduled and follow the instructions you will have already received.

How this affects our services (click to expand)

• Planned appointments: Please continue to attend your appointments as planned unless advised otherwise. There is no need to call ahead to check.
• Maternity services: These are still running and we’re here to support you. Please call our triage number on 0300 131 5341 if you have any questions about your pregnancy or are in labour.
• Contacting our services: If you need to get in touch with a specific team or department, please contact the relevant service by telephone rather than email.
• Urgent and emergency care: NHS 111 online and 999 services remain unaffected. If you need urgent medical help or advice, please continue to use these services as normal.
• Community-based services: (single point of access, district nursing, therapies etc.) are unable to send or receive referrals and we are prioritising on the basis of urgency.

We are monitoring the situation and will update this notice as further information becomes available. We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience and understanding.

We do not charge fees for job applications, recruitment processes, sponsorship arrangements or employment offers. All current vacancies can be found below, with the published contact details being the only authorised routes for recruitment communications, applications and verification of job offers.

Main area Catering Department Grade NHS AfC: Band 2 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (1 week rota - Monday to Friday) Job ref 374-CG6326

Site Eastbourne Hospital Town Eastbourne Salary £25,272 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 26/11/2026 23:59

We are proud to provide ‘Outstanding’ care and be a great place to work.

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust provides safe, compassionate and high quality hospital and community care to the half a million people living in East Sussex and those who visit our local area.

We are one of the largest organisations in East Sussex with an annual income of £700 million and we are the only integrated provider of acute and community care in Sussex.

Our extensive health services are provided by over 8,000+ dedicated members of staff working from two acute hospitals in Hastings and Eastbourne, three community hospitals in Bexhill, Rye and Uckfield, over 100 community sites across East Sussex, and in people’s own homes.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated us as ‘Good’ overall, and ‘Outstanding’ for being Caring and Effective. The Conquest Hospital in Hastings and our Community Services were rated ‘Outstanding’ and Eastbourne DGH was rated ‘Good’ Our two acute hospitals have Emergency Departments and provide 24 hour a day care, offering a comprehensive range of surgical, medical, outpatient and maternity services, supported by a full range of diagnostic and therapy services.

Job overview

We are looking for a Catering Assistant / Restaurant team member to work within the Catering Team at Eastbourne Hospital as part of the facilities catering retail team. Providing a catering support service within our busy staff restaurant. This is an important role that has a direct impact on the service that is provided to our customers.

Main duties of the job

This is a varied role and tasks include stocking up, food service, catering documentation / records and use of our Epos system. The roll will also include hygiene tasks and an attention to detail to help provide a cost affective service to the hospital staff and visitors using the facilities through the week. A good ability to communicate is key to delivering this service as well as being able to lease with the catering team in a catering environment. You will also be expected to lease with catering management / supervisor team to promote an effective and efficient service..

Working for our organisation

A wide range of staff benefits are available to our staff including staff development, enrolment in the NHS pension scheme, auto-enrolment to our Temporary Workforce Service, access to onsite nurseries. staff restaurants and accommodation.

In addition to an internal Occupational Health department, all staff also have access to free psychological support through our confidential Employee Assistance Programme. Onsite parking is available from only £50 a year.

There has never been a better time to join East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, submit your application today.

Statement on the Use of AI

We value the individuality that each candidate brings to the application process. While we understand that AI tools are widely available, we strongly discourage applicants from using AI-generated content when applying for jobs with us. We believe that your application should reflect your true skills, experiences, and motivations, which are best conveyed through your own words and unique perspective.

Using AI for your application may not accurately represent your knowledge, skills, and experience and may result in a disconnect between your qualifications and our assessment of your application.

We encourage applicants to take the time to thoughtfully complete your applications; by doing so, you allow us to better understand your true potential and ensure a fair and transparent evaluation of your application. Over reliance on AI-generated content may diminish your chance of success.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the job description attached.

If you have any questions about this position please do not hesitate to contact us.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Evidence of standard level of education to GCSE level
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

• Physically able to lift weights of up to 56lbs
• Motivated
• Good organisational skills
• Good team worker

Other

• A recognition that a flexible pattern is required according to the needs of the service

Experience

• Basic food handling / service knowledge
• Cash Handling and use of EPOS

Patients come first at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.

Our vision is to be:

• The healthcare provider of first choice for the people of East Sussex.

Our mission is to:

• Deliver better health outcomes and an excellent experience for everyone we provide with healthcare services.

Our strategic objectives are to:

• Improve quality and clinical outcomes by ensuring that safe patient care is our highest priority.
• Play a leading role in local partnerships to meet the needs of our local population and improve and enhance patients’ experiences.
• Use our resources efficiently and effectively for the benefit of our patients and their care to ensure our services are clinically, operationally and financially sustainable.

Our aims are that all services delivered by the Trust are:

• Safe
• Effective
• Caring
• Responsive and
• Well led

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.