Patient Catering Supervisor

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust; Chelmsford; On-site; GBP 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS trust in the UK is seeking a Patient Catering Supervisor to oversee the catering department for patients. The role requires managing staff, ensuring compliance with health and safety standards, and maintaining food hygiene practices. Candidates should have relevant qualifications and experience in catering supervision. This position offers an annual salary of £24,937 (pro rata for part-time work), and contributes to a vibrant healthcare environment focused on patient well-being.

Qualifications

• Must have experience working in a catering department.
• Ability to supervise and manage staff effectively.
• Understanding of food hygiene and safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Supervise patient catering staff to ensure quality service.
• Maintain food hygiene and health & safety compliance.
• Ensure punctuality in food delivery and collection.

Skills

Food hygiene knowledge

Staff supervision

Health and safety compliance

Education

Basic Level 2 Food Hygiene

Basic Health & Safety

Job description

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Patient Catering Supervisor

The closing date is 14 January 2026

Join our department we provide all meals to patients on a daily basis whilst working alongside the nursing staff to ensure that all our patients have the correct dietary needs whilst in our care. The role of supervising a large department of staff will require long periods of time spent walking and standing throughout the shift, concentration when working a rota to ensure staffing is organised, working on the wards as and when required, and occasional exposure to stressful circumstances.

To ensure that all catering staff are compliant with the uniform policy and provide a courteous service to all patients and ensure that all duties and responsibilities are carried out in accordance with all Health and Safety procedures.

Main duties of the job

• To be a hands on Supervisor to provide appropriate staffing levels and skill mix in the patient catering areas, to ensure a cost effective quality service.
• Be flexible in all other duties and areas in response to the business/customer/management needs. This may include supervising chill room and restaurant staff.
• To ensure that the presentation of all food are in accordance with agreed standards as defined by the Patient Catering Manager.
• To supervise the provision of patient catering ensuring that they are delivered punctually and dishes are collected in a timely manner.
• To ensure that all food hygiene, health and safety and other statutory legislation is adhered to at all time within all patient catering areas and that all stipulated records are maintained.
• To ensure that cleaning schedules are in place which will facilitate regular daily and scheduled cleaning of all equipment in the zonal, ward and department kitchens including topping up of consumables.
• Ensure that cleaning and temperature records are maintained to show compliance.
• Ensuring that stock is rotated in beverage bays, ward kitchens zonal kitchens and departmental kitchens and any out of date food is removed on a daily basis.
• Ensure that staff take only designated breaks.
• Ensure that correct procedures are used in relation to the use of cleaning of all machinery and adhering to cleaning schedules.

About us

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust.

Job responsibilities

For more details on this varied and rewarding role, please see the attached job description.

We look forward to your application!

Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

• Basic Level 2 Food Hygiene, Basic Health & Safety
• Working within a Catering department or chill room
• Proven track record in people supervision

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

£24,937 a year per annum (Pro Rata for Part Time)