Patient Catering Supervisor

Barts Health NHS Trust; City Of London; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Barts Health NHS Trust is seeking a Patient Catering Supervisor to lead the Newham University Hospital catering team. You will supervise front-of-house and distribution staff, manage rosters, ensure safe, high‑quality patient meals, and maintain HACCP compliance in a busy hospital setting.

You will collaborate with clinical teams, monitor stock and procurement, and support audits and improvements while delivering excellent patient experience and food safety.

Qualifications

• Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene Certificate is required.
• Evidence of CPD relevant to Catering or Facilities Management.
• Experience in a catering supervisory or management role, preferably in healthcare or public sector.
• Experience of stock control, inventory management and supplier liaison.
• Knowledge of food safety regulations including HACCP and COSHH.

Responsibilities

• Supervise catering staff across front-of-house and distribution services.
• Manage rostering, staffing requirements and service demand changes.
• Ensure efficient operation of catering services including food service and waste management.
• Maintain compliance with NHS food safety standards and HACCP.
• Support staff training, development, and performance management.
• Monitor stock levels, procurement and supplier liaison.
• Support audits, risk assessments and continuous service improvements.
• Collaborate with clinical teams to meet patients' dietary needs.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Communication

Problem solving

Organisation

Customer focus

Education

Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene Certificate

CPD relevant to Catering or Facilities Management

NHS/Healthcare catering knowledge

Tools

Catering management systems

Stock control systems

Allergen management software

Job description

Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.

The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.

Barts Health supports the Pregnancy Loss Pledge and commits to supporting their staff through the distress of miscarriage.

We are dedicated to being an outstanding place to work and will work with you to get the best experience. We know flexible working is not a one size fits all and will mean something different to everyone. We are inclusive, so if you are interested in flexible working, please speak to the recruiting manager.

Job overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic, organised and motivated Patient Catering Supervisor to join our Catering Team at Newham University Hospital.

This is a busy, hands-on supervisory role supporting the day-to-day delivery of patient catering services across the hospital. You will provide leadership and support to the catering team, ensuring staffing and resources are effectively managed and that patients receive a safe, efficient and high-quality catering service.

Working closely with the Patient Catering Service Delivery Manager and wider Facilities and clinical teams, you will help maintain high standards of food safety, patient experience and operational performance.

Main duties of the job

• Supervise and support catering staff across front-of-house and distribution services, ensuring appropriate staffing and allocation of duties.
• Manage day-to-day staffing requirements, including rostering, absence monitoring and responding to changes in service demand.
• Ensure the efficient operation of catering services, including food service, preparation, distribution and waste management.
• Maintain compliance with NHS food safety standards, HACCP, food hygiene and health & safety requirements.
• Ensure effective allergen management and compliance with dietary requirements, including cultural and medical needs.
• Support staff training, development, performance and absence management.
• Monitor stock levels, procurement, inventory and waste to support an efficient and cost-effective service.
• Support HealthRoster functions and effective workforce planning.
• Conduct and support audits and risk assessments, maintaining an audit-ready environment.
• Monitor service standards and support improvements where required.
• Respond effectively to operational issues and complaints, escalating concerns appropriately.
• Work collaboratively with clinical teams and other departments to ensure patients' dietary needs and preferences are met.

Working for our organisation

Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.

We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Essential criteria

• Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene Certificate.
• Evidence of continuous professional development relevant to Catering or Facilities Management.
• Previous experience in a catering supervisory or management role, preferably within healthcare or the public sector.
• Experience of stock control, inventory management and supplier liaison.
• Relevant catering industry experience.
• Knowledge of food safety regulations, including HACCP and COSHH.
• Experience of kitchen compliance audits and risk assessments.
• Budget management experience, including cost control and resource allocation.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Good problem-solving, planning and organisational skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Customer-focused approach.
• Flexible and adaptable approach to service requirements.

Desirable criteria

A relevant qualification in Catering, Hospitality or Facilities Management, allergen management training and previous NHS or healthcare catering experience would be advantageous. Experience of catering systems for menu planning and stock management would also be beneficial.

Working environment:

This is an active operational role involving regular movement across the hospital and working within both office and catering environments. The successful candidate will need to manage competing priorities, respond to staffing and operational changes and remain calm and professional during busy periods.

Join us

If you are passionate about patient catering, enjoy leading and supporting teams and are committed to delivering a safe, efficient and high-quality service, we would welcome your application to join the Patient Catering Team at Newham University Hospital.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene Certificate (or willingness to obtain within 6 months)
• Evidence of continuous professional development (CPD) relevant to Catering or Facilities Management

Desirable criteria

• Qualification in Catering, Hospitality or Facilities Management (eg. NVQ, BTEC or degree)
• Allergen Management Training
• HND or city and guilds 706/1,2,3. (HND equivalent)

Experience

Essential criteria

• Previous experience in a catering supervisory or management role (preferably healthcare or public sector)
• Experience in stock control, inventory management and supplier liaison.
• Relevant experience of the industry
• Knowledge of food safety regulations, including HACCP and COSHH.
• Experience in managing kitchen compliance audits and risk assessments.
• Budget management experience, including cost control and resource allocation.
• Quality driven management style

Desirable criteria

• NHS or Healthcare Catering experience
• Familiarity with NHS Supply Chain and Government Procurement regulations.

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Excellent understanding of NHS Catering policies and compliance requirements.
• Proficiency in using catering management systems for stock control and procurement.

Desirable criteria

• Understanding of cultural and dietary requirements within a hospital setting.
• Personnel and recruitment knowledge required.
• Financial and commercial acumen

Skills

Essential criteria

• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Must be entrepreneurial and creative.
• Problem solving skills
• Ability to plan and organise workload effectively
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to liaise with staff, suppliers and other stake holders.
• Customer focused

Desirable criteria

• Experience in using catering software for menu planning and stock management

Other

Essential criteria

• Must be flexible and adaptable

Desirable criteria

• Ability to work flexible including occasional weekends when required.
• Commitment to NHS values of compassion, respect and inclusivity.

Visa Sponsorship Information

This role is subject to UK immigration requirements. Where sponsorship is required, applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker visa in accordance with current UK Visas and Immigration rules, including any salary, qualification, and role-specific requirements applicable at the time of appointment. Candidates who require sponsorship will only be considered where the post is eligible and where all sponsorship criteria can be met. Evidence of the right to work in the UK will be required before appointment. Please note that for roles employed under Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions, the High-Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) is not included when calculating the basic salary for the purposes of sponsorship.

We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment where staff treat one another with dignity and respect. We aim to create an equitable working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential.

As an Equal Opportunities Employer we actively support applications from individuals' who apply under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme and will process your application as appropriate.

We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications has been received and we regret that we are unable to provide notification if your application is unsuccessful.

After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs.

By applying for this post you are agreeing to Barts Health NHS Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Barts Health is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and to child protection. The Trust aims to ensure as far as is possible that anyone, paid or unpaid, who seeks to work in our organisation and who gains access to children, is safe to do so. As such, you may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Check as part of the recruitment process if appointed to a post with direct access to children or vulnerable adults.

Barts Health promotes active travel as part of its goal to reach Net Zero. Each site is accessible by public transport and the Trust has a cycle to work scheme and some sites have Brompton Hire Pods.

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