Patient Catering Assistant

Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Chertsey; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Catering Assistant (Band 2) to join our on-site retail and patient food service teams.

The role involves preparing beverages and meals, serving customers, and maintaining the highest standards of hygiene and safety across St Peter's and Ashford Hospital sites. You will work a rota from 7am to 7pm, 365 days per year, across multiple sites as required.

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent.
• Demonstrable catering experience.
• Knowledge of NHS Constitution and food safety.

Responsibilities

• Serve staff and visitors with freshly prepared products.
• Maintain high standards of food hygiene and cleanliness.
• Carry out temperature checks and stock rotation.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP and safety regulations.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Initiative

Education

GCSE level or equivalent

Job description

Employer Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site St Peter's Hospital Town Chertsey Salary £26,618 pa, inc. HCAS Salary period Yearly Closing 02/10/2026 08:00

NHS AfC: Band 2

Job overview

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a forward thinking, proactive and highly motivated Catering Assistant. Delivering excellence in retail catering and patient experience is our driving force and in return we offer commitment to your personal development and a competitive salary. The role is to work as part of a rota to provide food services from 7am – 7pm, 365 days per year. Main base is St Peter’s Hospital, with requirement to work across both St Peter’s and Ashford Hospital sites to fulfil role and working at any other Trust site as required.

Main duties of the job

To carry out a wide range of general retail catering duties within our on-site retail outlet ensuring a high quality level of customer service and food safety following set procedures and specifications. Strong customer service skills are essential.

Serving staff and visitors freshly prepared products, preparing refreshments including hot and cold speciality drinks. Replenishing stock displays and ensuring all areas are clean and tidy.

To have made an effective contribution to reaching the Trust’s vision, strategic objectives and key work programmes.

To ensure codes of practice for HACCP and food safety are followed.

To monitor temperature control procedures following set specification.

Audit check dates and stock rotation of all food commodities within working areas.

Good communication skills are required, both face to face and on the telephone. The post holder will be expected to communicate with, patient’s visitors and staff.

To ensure compliance with all aspects of Health and Safety/ food safety legislation and the correct use of personal protective equipment.

Working for our organisation

Ashford and St. Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the largest provider of acute hospital services to Surrey residents, serving a population of 410,00 people and employing approximately 4,800 staff.
Our vision is to provide an outstanding experience and best outcomes for patients and the team. We are committed to providing continuous professional development and flexibility to deliver our workforce plan.
We work in partnership with Royal Surrey Hospital NHS Foundation Trust through a collaborative Group Model, supporting joined-up services, workforce flexibility and development opportunities.
St Peter’s Hospital delivers complex medical and surgical care, maternity and emergency services. Day and Orthopaedic surgery, ophthalmology and outpatient services are delivered at Ashford Hospital. Additional services are delivered at Woking Community Hospital.
Our Values provide us with the behaviours we respect and can commit to. By living our values through our everyday interactions, we can build a stronger, more resilient, and forward- thinking organisation, guiding us to achieve success and make a positive impact on how we deliver our services.
We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits and discounts.
Please note that adverts may close early, so early application is encouraged.
For more information about careers at ASPH please visit:
www.asph-careers.org

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Duties include serving staff and visitors freshly prepared products, preparing refreshments including hot and cold speciality drinks. Replenishing stock displays and ensuring all areas are clean and tidy.

Ensure that crockery & cutlery are cleaned, maintained to the highest standard of cleanliness and safely stored to prevent unnecessary breakage

Good communication skills are required, both face to face and on the telephone. The post holder will be expected to communicate with, patient’s visitors and staff.

To have made an effective contribution to reaching the Trust’s vision, strategic objectives and key work programmes.

To ensure codes of practice for HACCP and food safety are followed.

To monitor temperature control procedures following set specification.

Audit check dates and stock rotation of all food commodities within working areas.

Maintain excellent personal hygiene and uniform standard.

To observe correct use and care of equipment, reporting breakdowns or defects to ensure maximum efficiency and serviceability of all equipment used within all retail outlets.

Report faults/equipment failures to supervisors and management.

Maintain excellent cleaning standards within all working areas following set specifications and cleaning schedules whilst complying with COSH data and training.

Comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Every employee has a responsibility for themselves and others who may be affected by their acts or omissions whilst at work.

To operate equipment in a safe and responsible manner ensuring you comply with the local safe systems of work and on the job training that has been given to you.

Operate the dishwasher machine and maintain the standard of cleanliness for an efficient operation and report any faults/breakdowns.

Complete all relevant control documentation including recording the temperature of food and equipment.

To maintain patient and visitor safety through vigorous and consistent compliance with Trust Policy and Food Hygiene Legislation including the prevention and control of infection and hand hygiene.

Person specification

Qualifications and Further Training

• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent

Experience

• Demonstrable catering experience
• Special diets, dysphasic and cultural religious believes

Knowledge

• NHS Constitution
• Food safety & Hygiene
• Knowledge of various tasks and the ability to perform catering tasks
• Strategic objectives
• Food Safety Act 1990

Skills

• You have knowledge & awareness of food safety and hygiene
• Ability to work on own initiative
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Are you able to work full time with variable shifts including long days, nights and weekends, otherwise what flexible working/hours are you seeking?

Please note that adverts may close early, so early application is encouraged.

Certificate of Sponsorship
In line with UKVI guidance, we are unable to provide a Certificate of Sponsorship for Band 2 and Band 3 roles.

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.