Kitchen Assistant

Cornerstone Healthcare Group Ltd; Waterlooville; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 21,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Subsidised lunch

Free uniform

Overtime pay

Pension scheme

Healthcare plan

Training

Job summary

Cornerstone Healthcare Group Ltd. is seeking an experienced Kitchen Assistant to support residents at South Africa Lodge in Waterlooville. You will help with meal preparation, service, and maintaining clean kitchen and dining areas in a caring environment.

The role operates a 4/3 shift pattern, averaging 30 hours per week, with shifts from 8am to 4pm or 8am to 6pm, and includes benefits such as subsidised lunch, a free uniform, and enhanced pay for overtime and bank holidays.

Qualifications

• At least 6 months experience in a similar role in the UK.
• At least 6 months care/nursing home experience in the UK.
• Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, residents and visitors
• Commitment to learn about residents as individuals and to create ideas to improve life for residents
• Effective communication skills (written and verbal)

Responsibilities

• Support the catering service to residents in the home
• Prepare and set up meals and drinks
• Clean crockery, cutlery, utensils, containers and small equipment
• Clean floors, work surfaces, furnishings and related equipment
• Comply with Health and Safety, COSHH, Environmental Health and Fire Procedures

Skills

Communication skills

Empathy

Teamwork

Willingness to learn

Resident-focused care

Job description

About The Role

PLEASE NOTE - We are NOT offering sponsorship and are unable to take overseas applications at this time.

Are you an experienced and compassionate Kitchen Assistant looking to make a real difference in people’s lives?

Cornerstone Healthcare is proud to be an award-winning provider of specialist care, and we're looking for a dedicated Kitchen Assistant to join our supportive team at South Africa Lodge.

South Africa Lodge is a 99-bed home providing exceptional care across six specialised units. We support residents living with complex needs, including neuro-degenerative conditions, dementia, and mental health challenges. Our focus is always on the person, not the diagnosis - creating a safe, comfortable, and dignified environment where residents can truly thrive. We are proud to be rated GOOD with CQC.

We welcome individuals who share our values of respect, openness, care, and kindness.

What You’ll Bring

• At least 6 months experience working in a similar role within the UK.
• At least 6 months care/nursing home experience within the UK.
• Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, residents and their visitors
• A commitment to learn about residents as individuals and to create ideas to improve life for the residents
• Effective communication skills (both written and verbal)

Your Working Pattern

• 4/3 shift pattern, including alternate weekends
• Average of 30 hours per week (working alternating 36-hour and 24-hour weeks)
• Shifts: 8am-4pm and 8am-6pm.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Supporting the catering service to residents in the home
• Preparing and set up meals and drinks
• Cleaning crockery, cutlery, utensils, containers and small-scale equipment manually and through machine
• Cleaning floors, work surfaces, furnishings and related equipment manually and by use of machine
• Complying with regulations in respect of Health and Safety at work, COSHH, Environmental Health and Fire Procedures

Benefits package worth up to £5,000 (T&C's apply)

• Subsidised lunch available daily
• Free uniform laundered for you on site ready for your next shift
• Monthly overtime raffle – receive a ticket for each overtime shift completed and the winner will receive an additional £200 in their pay packet
• Enhanced pay rates for overtime and bank holidays
• Pension scheme
• Enhanced DBS fully covered by us and automatically added to the update service
• Specialist training, beyond the mandatory training requirements
• Paid for e-learning training
• Reward and recognition through vouchers and cash incentives for Christmas and long service
• Refer a friend scheme – up to £1,000
• Paid for company events
• Cycle to work scheme
• Healthcare cash plan worth up to £700* including dentistry, optical plus access to a 24/7 employee assistance programme offering psychological support to staff to avoid stress and burn out, meaning everyone is able to focus on caring for our residents
• Access to Blue Light card - over 13,000 discounts

About Us

Cornerstone Healthcare Group are a multi award-winning, sector leader with an innovative approach to complex care

Cornerstone specialise in supporting adults of all ages with complex neurological, physical, and mental health needs.

Residents are typically living with neurological degenerative conditions, such as dementia with an underlying mental health condition, and as such are vulnerable and at times prone to challenging behaviours associated with complex conditions. Many have been unable to stay in other settings because their needs have been deemed too high or too challenging.

Operating well-established homes in Waterlooville and Curdridge in Hampshire and Mytchett in Surrey, as well as a new state-of-the-art 'eco' home in Bristol, the Group has built a reputation for delivering consistently high standards of care, focusing on the individual journey of each resident.

At Cornerstone, the expert clinical care skills and approach of the team mean that people with the most complex needs can find a place to call home.