Mobile Chef

Nhs-1; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Job summary

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Mobile Chef to join our Catering Team on a permanent 25-hour-per-week contract. Based at Hopewood, you will provide chef cover across Hopewood, Lings Bar Hospital and Wells Road Centre to deliver high-quality patient meals across sites.

The role requires flexible availability, ability to work across multiple sites, and previous experience in a busy catering environment. Driving licence is desirable but not essential; DBS checks apply.

Qualifications

• Recognised Catering and Support Services Qualification.
• City & Guilds 706/1 or NVQ/Apprenticeship Level 2.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality patient meals following approved catering processes and safety standards.
• Support catering across Hopewood, Wells Road Centre and Lings Bar Hospital.
• Cover periods of sickness, annual leave, training and staffing gaps across sites.
• Ensure menus and dietary requirements are met and allergens are clearly identified.

Skills

Cooking skills

Quality monitoring

Staff supervision

Menu planning

Ordering supplies

Documentation

Independent work

Education

Catering qualification

City & Guilds 706/1 NVQ2

Job description

Main area Catering Grade Band 3 Contract Permanent: 25 hours per week Hours

• Part time
• Flexible working

25 hours per week (The post will include weekend working and bank holidays as required and will provide flexible chef cover across Hopewood, Lings Bar and Wells Road.) Job ref 186-747-26-GH

Employer Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Hopwood Hospital Town Nottingham Salary £25,760 - £27,476 per hour Salary period Yearly Closing 20/09/2026 23:59

Band 3

We fully support the use of AI and other tools to assist in writing your application. However, it's essential that the content, especially your supporting statement, is personalised and factually accurate. Your application should reflect your genuine experiences and qualifications to ensure authenticity and credibility

Job overview

We are looking for a Mobile Chef to join our Catering Team on a permanent 25 hours per week contract. The post is based at Hopewood, however the successful candidate will be required to work across Hopewood, Lings Bar Hospital and Wells Road Centre to provide chef cover and support service delivery where required.

The role will involve working flexibly across all three sites, including covering periods of sickness, annual leave, training and other staffing gaps.

A driving licence and access to a vehicle would be desirable but are not essential, as all three hospital sites are served by established public transport links. It is also highly unlikely that the successful candidate would be required to work across multiple sites on the same day.

Further discussion regarding the working pattern and working across sites will take place at interview.

Previous experience working in a busy catering environment is essential.

Main duties of the job

To be responsible for the provision of high-quality patient meals by undertaking approved catering processes and procedures, ensuring all food is prepared, handled and served safely and in accordance with food hygiene legislation, Trust policies and nutritional standards.

The postholder will provide chef support across Hopewood, Wells Road Centre and Lings Bar Hospital, catering for a diverse range of service users with differing dietary and nutritional needs. This includes supporting patients within CAMHS services at Hopewood, service users within mental health and neurodevelopmental services at Wells Road Centre, and patients at Lings Bar Hospital, which provides rehabilitation, physiotherapy and mobility-focused care. The postholder will ensure meals are safe, appropriate, nutritious and delivered to a consistently high standard across all three sites.

Working for our organisation

#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire,Leicestershire,Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons.

We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.

We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.

The health and wellbeing of our colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.

The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net-zero commitment

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To ensure compliance with the Catering Food Safety Manual, Trust policies and procedures and to the Food Safety Act and Food Hygiene Regulations

To provide assistance and information as required around the patient meals and menus and to provide a point of contact between the catering provision and the wards to identify any issues or specific dietary requirements including allergen information.

Please note that this post does not meet the pay level required for a Skilled worker visa.

Applicants requiring a Skilled Worker Visa can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship against the relevant criteria here https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Recognised Catering and Support Services Qualification
• City & Guilds 706/1 or equivalent (NVQ/Apprenticeship Level 2)

Experience

• Ability to cook small and large quantities including special diets
• Experience in quality monitoring and of food production
• Experience in staff supervision of catering services
• Experience in producing menus/special diets
• Experience in ordering supplies

Knowledge

• Evidence of Working Knowledge
• Knowledge of relevant NHS procedures and practices, including legal requirements

Skills

• Accurately complete documentation
• Ability to work unsupervised

Training

• Level 2 Food Safety Certificate
• Health & Safety Workplace Certificate
• City & Guilds 706/2 or equivalent (NVQ/ Apprenticeship Level 3)

Values and Behaviour

• All colleagues are expected to demonstrate that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Values: Trust Honesty Respect Compassion Teamwork
• All colleagues are expected to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and how it applies to their role. The Trust’s expectations are highlighted within our EDI Policy, and associated EDI and Human Rights legislation

Contractual Requirements

• A full UK driving licence and vehicle for business use is required for this post; however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010

Additional Information

• We reserve the right to close the post early once we have received a sufficient number of applicants.
• The Trust believes in treating everyone with dignity and respect and encourages applications from all sectors of the community. We guarantee an interview to candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum essential criteria.
• In submitting an application form, you authorise Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to confirm from your previous or current NHS employer and other prior employers; previous NHS service details and personal data held about you. This data will be transferred using NHS Electronic Staff Record and third party systems via an automated process and only used for the purposes of obtaining and maintaining accurate employment records, should you be appointed to the post. Should you require any further information please refer our Privacy Policy shown on the Trust website
• For eligible posts, DBS disclosures are mandatory before commencement of employment. If you are in a position that is deemed a regulated adult and/or child care role, you will not be able to start your employment until we have received a satisfactory DBS Disclosure. The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Convictions which would otherwise be considered as 'spent' will also be checked as part of an Enhanced DBS Disclosure.

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.