Food Service Assistant

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust; Chichester; On-site; GBP 24,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dedicated catering team at a leading NHS Trust, where your role as a Food Service Assistant will be vital in enhancing patient care. This position offers the opportunity to work directly with patients, ensuring their dietary needs are met with compassion and professionalism. You will be part of a supportive environment that values diversity and encourages personal growth. With a focus on teamwork and communication, your contributions will play a key role in maintaining high standards of service. Embrace a fulfilling career where your efforts truly make a difference in the lives of others.

Benefits

Wellbeing Programme

Flexible Working Options

Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives

Buddy Support for New Employees

Qualifications

• Experience working in a hospital or care environment is essential.
• Excellent communication skills to interact with patients and staff.

Responsibilities

• Take meal orders and serve food and beverages to patients.
• Maintain cleanliness and complete HACCP documentation.

Skills

Communication Skills

Customer Service

Experience with Elderly People

Food Safety Knowledge

Education

Experience in a Care Environment

Catering Experience

Tools

iPads

Regen Hot Meal Trolleys

Beverage Carts

Job description

View all our vacancies across our hospitals in Sussex. Search, find and apply for a job with us today.

Main area: Food Service Assistant
Grade: Band 2
Contract: Permanent: Full time
Hours:

• Full time
• Part time

33.5 hours per week (33 hour weekly posts - 3 days working 11 hour days. These are spread over 6 days - Not Sundays)
Job ref: 279-6683656-JAN25

Employer: University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: St Richard's Hospital
Town: Chichester
Salary: £23,615 Per annum, pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 26/01/2025 23:59

About our Trust

At UHSussex we’re proud to be at the heart of the NHS. As one of the UK’s largest acute Trusts, we’re a leading example of the excellence, ambition, and values that have embodied the NHS for over 70 years.

Our hard-working, talented, and dedicated people work together towards a common goal – to always put our Patient First. In fact, our mission is summed up by our ‘where better never stops’ motto, and you will play a part in driving us forwards and improving the lives of patients across Sussex.

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff, which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including flexible working to support work-life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching, and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career, we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the catering Team at St Richards hospital.

We are looking for a self-motivated individual to join our team as a Food Service Assistant on our busy wards at St Richards Hospital working on a specialist unit.

We have 3 positions available, all 33 hour a week posts, over 3 days a week, working 11 hour days. (These are spread over 6 days - Not Sundays)

PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY

Full time/part time hours.

(Additional bank position/hours may be available on an ad-hoc basis when available if desired)

Main duties of the job

Applicants should have experience working with elderly people and have both knowledge and understanding to enable them to support their catering requirements. Therefore, it is essential that applicants have previous work experience in a hospital or care environment and are able to evidence their experience at the time of the interview. Applicants must be able to demonstrate a good understanding of this customer group and their needs, along with a caring, patient attitude in line with our Trust values.

The role involves interacting directly with patients to take meal orders, serving hot and cold meals, and serving beverages; therefore, excellent communication skills are essential.

Food service assistants are responsible for keeping their environment clean to a high standard, completing HACCP documentation, and a basic understanding of COSHH and food safety is essential.

Food service assistants are required to use a range of equipment such as iPads, Regen hot meal trolleys, and beverage carts. While full training will be given to operate safely, applicants should be aware that the duration of their shift will involve being on their feet, pushing, pulling, bending, and lifting while sometimes working in warm environments.

Working for our organisation

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff, which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching, and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career, we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Maintain good communication, liaison, and working arrangements with ward staff, own team, and other hospital departments.
Communicate effectively with patients and their relatives to ensure their food and beverage requirements are met.
Communicate in a courteous, co-operative, and sympathetic manner with due regard for privacy, dignity, and confidentiality at all times.
Read and understand written and verbal instructions, and complete HACCP records accurately.
Take instruction and direction from catering team leaders and senior staff on the ward.
Ensure daily orders are communicated in a timely manner to enable the Catering Department to prepare and deliver food items on time.

Please see JD and PS for full details

Person specification

• Previous experience in a care environment (Hospital or care home)

Experience

• Previous Catering Experience

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues.

Important information for applicants

Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working, please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.

DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.

Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for those that meet the Visa and Immigration eligibility criteria. For further information, please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker.

Closing adverts early: Please apply as early as you're able for this role. In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.

UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications.

Further Information

For help with the application process for non-medical vacancies only, please contact the Resourcing Team by Email: [e-mail]

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. 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.