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University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Patient Catering Assistant

The closing date is 06 November 2025

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Job summary

The Patient Catering Assistant will be responsible for the provision of an efficient, safe and hygienic food service at ward level operating within established food hygiene, safety practices, methods and procedures. This will include the picking, preparation, regeneration and plating up of patient meals in order to assist nursing staff to serve meals to the patients.

The post holder will be responsible for the safe and hygienic cleaning of the ward kitchen and all associated equipment.

The Patient Catering Assistant must be receptive to individual patient's food service needs and treat any information about their condition with utmost confidence.

The role will also include undertaking duties to provide a portering and cleaning service to the catering department and to assist in simple food preparation in a chilled and/or frozen working and storage environment

To generally assist when required with other comparable tasks including Saffron and the general stores as directed by their Assistant Duty Manager/Duty Manager

The post holder will need to be fully aware of the Trust's Values and Behaviours and Patient First initiatives and act accordingly

Main duties of the job

To clean allocated pieces of heavy catering equipment using instructions and cleaning materials

To dispose of waste materials from catering areas to designated collection points.

Operate industrial dishwashers in all the catering areas.

To operate mechanical floor scrubbing and steam cleaning equipment.

To transport provisions, equipment and other catering related items as required.

To maintain clean working environment at all times, with special regard to hygiene.

To ensure that all food is prepared in the environment with due care and attention, particularly in regard to customers' special dietary requirements: for example, nut, dairy or wheat allergies.

To monitor the inputting of the patient menu on the Saffron tablets ensuring that all the necessary information is captured accurately.

Collate patient meal numbers for picking and packing as required and generate associated Saffron system reports as necessary.

Printing of the pick pack sheets for each meal service ensuring that all the correct information has been captured and the sheets are printed in a timely manner to allow sufficient time for the pick pack to be carried out.

IF YOU HAVE APPLIED IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS YOU DO NOT NEED TO RE-APPLY

About us

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We're here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in ourWellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.

Candidate Information Pack: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/resources/candidate-information-pack/

Details

Date posted

23 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,465 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

279-7294637-OCT25

Job locations

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Eastern Road

Brighton

BN2 5BE


Job description

Job responsibilities

Assisting with the receipt of deliveries, checking quantity and quality of goods; ensuring that due diligence is followed by checking and recording deliveries temperatures as appropriate and compliance with the Trusts policies and procedures as required.

Reporting of variances in deliveries both internally and to the supplier arranging replacement deliveries or credit notes as appropriate.

Keep accurate records of stock and inventory, movement both inwards and outwards allowing costs to be correctly attributed to the specific department.

Ensure all stock is rotated and stored correctly reducing wastage and ensuring compliance with necessary legislation as required.

To undertake occasional duties outside the normal routine but within the scope of the position and the departments activities

Job description

Job responsibilities

Assisting with the receipt of deliveries, checking quantity and quality of goods; ensuring that due diligence is followed by checking and recording deliveries temperatures as appropriate and compliance with the Trusts policies and procedures as required.

Reporting of variances in deliveries both internally and to the supplier arranging replacement deliveries or credit notes as appropriate.

Keep accurate records of stock and inventory, movement both inwards and outwards allowing costs to be correctly attributed to the specific department.

Ensure all stock is rotated and stored correctly reducing wastage and ensuring compliance with necessary legislation as required.

To undertake occasional duties outside the normal routine but within the scope of the position and the departments activities

Person Specification

Experience / Qualifications

Essential

  • Willing to undertake Training as required. i.e COSHH, Infection Control, Health and Safety Manual Handling
  • Understanding of English and Maths due to taking Patients Meal Orders

Desirable

  • Knowledge of Food Hygiene Practices and Food Presentation
  • Previous experience in Catering or working in a Hospital Environment
  • Understanding COSHH and Colour coded equipment
  • Knowledge of Cleaning methods.

Skills

Essential

  • Effective Communication and Customer Care Skills
  • Demonstrate understanding of written instuctions
  • Evidence of undertaken own development
  • Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues

Desirable

  • Able to use a range of equipment competently and safely
  • Computer Literate

Specific Requirements

Essential

  • Customer centred approach is required

Equlaity, Diveristy and Inclusion

Essential

  • Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
  • Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
Person Specification

Experience / Qualifications

Essential

  • Willing to undertake Training as required. i.e COSHH, Infection Control, Health and Safety Manual Handling
  • Understanding of English and Maths due to taking Patients Meal Orders

Desirable

  • Knowledge of Food Hygiene Practices and Food Presentation
  • Previous experience in Catering or working in a Hospital Environment
  • Understanding COSHH and Colour coded equipment
  • Knowledge of Cleaning methods.

Skills

Essential

  • Effective Communication and Customer Care Skills
  • Demonstrate understanding of written instuctions
  • Evidence of undertaken own development
  • Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues

Desirable

  • Able to use a range of equipment competently and safely
  • Computer Literate

Specific Requirements

Essential

  • Customer centred approach is required

Equlaity, Diveristy and Inclusion

Essential

  • Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
  • Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues

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

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Eastern Road

Brighton

BN2 5BE


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Eastern Road

Brighton

BN2 5BE


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior Duty Manager

Keili Visnapuu

Keili.visnapuu@nhs.net

01273696955

Details

Date posted

23 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,465 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

279-7294637-OCT25

Job locations

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Eastern Road

Brighton

BN2 5BE


Supporting documents

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