Job vacancy: Catering Assistant, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Blackpool

Job summary

Main area: Catering Services
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 2
Contract: Permanent: 22hrs per week on a rota basis 5 days over 7 including weekends and bank holidays
Hours: Part time - 22 hours per week (Working on a 8 week rota basis to cover late shift, 5 days over 7 inc weekends and bank holidays)
Job ref: 435-1LSC-BTH-15.25

Employer: East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Victoria Hospital
Town: Blackpool
Salary: £24,465 Per Annum pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 13/11/2025 23:59

Catering Assistant

NHS AfC: Band 2

At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ over 9,500 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Catering Assistants must be committed to applying a partnership approach to new ways of working which best deliver the range and quality of service required, in as efficient and effective a way as possible and organised to best meet the needs of the service. Catering assistants work as part of a busy team to deliver a quality service as directed by policies and procedures monitored by service supervisors. Assisting in all aspects of cleaning duties, including use of industrial dishwasher, relating to the provision of the meal production and service provision.

For day-to-day duties, responsible to the Service Supervisor for work allocation, consultation and instruction as well as seeking information, direction or approval as appropriate.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

· Serving meals to patients, or staff as required, giving due attention to compliance with the Catering Department Hygiene & Quality Standards

· To serve patient meals accurately as per patient’s choice, to ensure patients receive the correct meal requested.

Attractive presentation of all food items served with correct and consistent portion control.

· Meeting required tempo of work & service deadlines.

· As applicable to daily work section, completing written records of times and temperatures of foods as required. (H.A.C.C.P. – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points). Reporting to Section Supervisor regarding any food items which are not considered to be of a satisfactory temperature / standard for meals service.

· Ensuring that all items needing refrigeration are correctly stored and used in date code stock rotation.

· Moving & handling of Meal Trolleys e.g., General transfer of food items, using trolleys and other food service equipment within operational areas. (Observing safe 'Moving & Handling - refer to sections below)

· Utilisation of electric tug for delivery/return of meal trolleys where appropriate

· Assisting in basic food preparation as required.

· Clearing and cleaning of crockery, utensils, catering equipment and premises as required to maintain high standards of cleanliness. Dishwashing operations (including use of industrial crockery & utensil washing machinery)

· Being aware of and complying with correct cleaning procedures and instructions for use of cleaning materials. (C.O.S.H.H. – Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) to maintain the hygienic cleaning of the department and equipment ready for the next meal service.

· Being correctly / cleanly dressed when on duty and in compliance with uniform policy rules regarding jewellery, watches, hair controls etc. Strictly complying with department codes of practice for general food safety and personal hygiene.

See attached Job Description for full details

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential criteria

Basic Reading and writing skills which are required to read and understand policies and procedures and Catering instructions and procedures.
Will satisfactorily complete Food Hygiene training and achieve qualification within first 12 weeks of employment

Desirable criteria

Holding recent Qualification in Food Hygiene at Level 2

Experience and Knowledge

Essential criteria

2 Satisfactory References
Previous employment that indicate capability to undertake training in duties of post
Experienced in catering industry in similar position with full working knowledge of hygiene & food safety
Evident Good Personal Hygiene, Clean and tidy appearance

Skills and Ability

Essential criteria

Ability to carry out catering tasks with special attention to food hygiene, food presentation and speed of work.
Physically able enough to fulfil tasks of the post (refer to Job Description).
Previous experience of working in large group / busy environment.

Dear Potential Applicant,

It is important you are made aware of the following as regards your application to East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Please note that the salary advertised is for full time hours. If this post is less than 37.5 hours per week, the salary will be pro-rata. For posts on Agenda for Change pay-scales, new entrants to the NHS will normally commence on the first pay point of the relevant band.
This vacancy may close before the closing date if the recruiting manager deems sufficient applications have been received. Therefore it is advised to complete your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.
Please note that shortlisting is completed anonymously with candidates being assessed against the essential criteria for the post. Therefore only applicants, who can clearly demonstrate how they meet our person specification criteria in their application, will be short-listed.

Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS)

If the role you are applying for is identified as either controlled or regulated activity as defined in in the Safeguarding vulnerable Groups Act (2006) any offer of employment is provisional upon a satisfactory DBS check being obtained.

The healthcare sector is exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

In line with other NHS organisations in the North West Region, the Trust is now passing the charge for undertaking a DBS check on to candidates in the event they are successfully appointed into the post for which they have applied. Candidates can choose whether to pay this over 1-3 months as a deduction from the monthly salary. However, if you are applying for a post as a BANK worker, the payment must be made in full at the time of employment checks. By applying for this vacancy you are agreeing to this undertaking in the event you are successfully appointed.

The cost of an Enhanced Disclosure will be £55.38 and for a Standard Disclosure will be £27.38.

This cost is not applicable for a Volunteer post

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The Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to improving the working lives of our staff and operates a 'Zero Tolerance' policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment. In addition, our aim is to help protect children and vulnerable adults by providing a first-class service to the recruitment of people into positions of trust.

We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or social background.

We especially welcome applications from members of our black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, as we have identified that ELHT has an under-representation of BAME employees. Appointments will be made on merit.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible. By telephone 01254 732075 or email [email protected] or write to Employment Services, Parkview Offices, Haslingden Road, Blackburn, BB2 3HH