Cook

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job summary

The West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust requires a Cook to join a dedicated Catering Team based at West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds

The Catering Department opens 365 days a year therefore we are looking for individuals who can work the following hours:

The hours available per week are 30 hours (part time), shifts will be worked on a roster with 7.5 hour days between the hours of 6.30am and 7pm weekdays and including alternate weekends This will be discussed at interview.

Duties will include cooking to set recipes, serving patient meals, washing up and cleaning equipment in the busy Catering Department. Serving Staff and Visitors in our White Lodge Restaurant.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate good customer care and communication skills, with the ability to work alone and as part of a team, whilst maintaining a high level of attention to detail and food hygiene. The ability to remain calm under pressure is vital in this busy working environment.

A basic knowledge of hygiene principles and literacy/numeracy skills will be essential for this role.

All candidates must apply online however for an informal discussion, please contact Luke Nobbs (Head Chef) on 01284 713436.

Job responsibilities

• To work as part of a team providing a safe, high quality catering service for the Trust.
• To maintain hygiene standards.
• To prepare and serve high quality nutritious food in accordance with the departments standard recipes, using fresh ingredients.
• To be able to maintain prolonged concentration when preparing and cooking serval different dishes in a busy and pressured environment.
• To have a good understanding and apply this during the working practices with specific regard to HACCP and COSSH and follow the departments Food hygiene practices.
• To have knowledge and apply this during the working practices with specific regard to of IDDSI and follow this patient safety guidance.
• To offer guidance to ward staff in the absence of dietetic support (out of hours) with specific regard to allergen, consistency and dietary requirements for patient within the Trust.
• To be aware of Trust policies and procedures applicable to the service and report any issues the line manager.
• To assist and guide the Food service supervisors in the absence of senior food production staff on issues related to dietary and IDDSI consistency.

KEY TASKS:

Patient services/kitchen:

1. To undertake food production as part of a team producing safe, high quality, nutritious meals for patients staff and visitors to the Trust.
2. To work in all areas of the food production kitchen covering all sections.
3. To follow standard recipes and to participate with continuous improvement.
4. To maintain records of their daily food production, wastage and dish temperature control in line with the departments ISO procedures.
5. Help assemble meals for patients service, monitoring portion control of dishes and nutritional requirements.
6. To produce food for special functions.
7. To produce specific dietary dishes and meals following dietetics instructions
8. To produce dishes and meals to specific IDDSI standards.
9. To work to a ridged timescale making sure meals are ready for service.
10. To maintain food hygiene standards with specific regard to temperature and cross contamination guidelines.
11. To clean the food production area which they are working in.
12. Safe and hygienic use of high cost, dangerous catering equipment.
13. Prepare fillings and dishes for use within other areas of the department in a safe hygienic method using standard recipes for staff/visitors restaurant and patients.
14. Assemble plated meal for specific dietary requirements out of normal hours for specific patients.
15. To assist with the safe service of meals to staff from within catering outlets offering guidance on choice, allergens and dish content to help enhance customer satisfaction.
16. To assist with store deliveries when required following department ISO guidance procedures.

Communication and team working:

1. Communicate with customers within catering outlets (customers can be staff, patients & visitors, nurses coming to collect items for wards/general porters/engineers/office staff). Take messages if necessary to give to supervisors or other members of staff.
2. Offer guidance and direction to Catering assistants working within food production areas.
3. To supervise these staff in food production areas specifically dietary issues.
4. Liaise with ward staff, dieticians, Speech and language staff and colleges regarding special dietary and consistency levels requirements.
5. To have a full understanding of dietary needs of patients and visitors to the Trust and offer guidance to clinical staff out of normal office hours.
6. To be able to deal with situations where this dietary guidance is not the preferred response and to communicate this in a tactful manor.
7. To have an advanced understanding of allergens and the risks they may cause to patients and visitors and to offer guidance to clinical staff on these matters.
8. Attend group meetings.
9. Report breakdown of equipment, health & safety issues, general problems to supervisory staff.

Managing resources:

1. Staff are required to use provisions and stock in date rotation.
2. Ingredients must be checked for allergens and any changes identified must be reported to their line manager.
3. Inform appropriate supervisory staff of the need for stock replenishment.
4. Receipting of chilled, frozen, and dry provisions when applicable and ensuring the correct storage and stock rotation takes place in line with departmental HACCP procedures.
5. To be responsible and respectful for the safe, hygienic and efficient use of high cost, dangerous catering equipment/Trust property and to report any damages to a senior member of the team.
6. Ensure the correct ingredients are used within dishes to maintain safe quality meals for users of the service.
7. Report sightings of pests to a senior member of staff.
8. Be aware of emergency and security procedures for your department.
9. Cleaning down of all equipment and areas working surfaces,
10. To be responsible for the safe issuing of enteral feeds

Training and Teaching:

1. Staff will offer food production supervision and guidance to Food Service Assistants working with them.
2. Staff will give on the job training to new members of staff.
3. Staff will be expected to attend mandatory training and to complete a basic hygiene course.

Policies and service development:

1. Staff are expected to adhere to Trust polices and departmental policies at all times.
2. To share ideas on how to improve the service / work conditions.
3. Assist the Catering Management team with the ISO standards by reviewing specific areas and offering suggestions for improvement and accuracy within the documentation.

General:

1. Any other duties relevant to the post and delegated by a supervisor.

Person Specification

Education

Essential

• NVQ Level 2 Food hygiene certificate
• City and Guilds 706/1 & 706/2 or NVQ level 3
• Allergen training
• Knowledge of IDDSI
• A good general education
• Basic skills in literacy & numeracy

Desirable

• Dietary/nutrition training

Experience & Knowledge

Essential

• Good understanding of HACCP, COSSH and Health and Safety legislation.
• Previous experience of working within a catering environment.

Desirable

• Previous catering experience specifically in large scale service

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Good customer care and communication skills
• Able to work either alone or as part of a team
• Good manual dexterity, physical fitness and good eyesight
• Good attention to detail
• Able to work under pressure

Personalities

Essential

• Able to work on own initiative and as part of a team
• Able to work without supervision.
• Able to work in a demanding environment.
• Self-motivated & punctual
• Adaptable to change
• Able to work in a Hospital ward environment
• Flexible, with the ability to work the hours required by the post.

Desirable

• Self-motivated
• Interest in cooking/catering

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 details

Employer name

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

Address

West Suffolk Hospital

Hardwick Lane

Bury St Edmunds

IP33 2QZ

Employer's website

https://www.wsh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)