Job summary
Join the Catering Department at Dorset County Hospital and play a vital role in delivering freshly prepared, nutritious meals to patients, staff, and visitors. As a Catering Assistant, you will be an essential part of a friendly, dynamic team committed to providing exceptional service in a fast-paced hospital environment. This is your chance to make a real difference while working in a supportive and rewarding setting.
The role involves preparing & serving meals across patient and retail operations, as well as operating catering equipment such as coffee machines and tills. You will also help maintain the high standards of cleanliness and food hygiene required in a healthcare setting, ensuring all areas are safe and presentable.
We are looking for individuals with excellent customer service skills who enjoy working as part of a team. You should be adaptable and willing to undertake online training to enhance your knowledge and skills. With flexible shifts across five days of the week, including mornings, lunches, and suppers, you'll play a key role in meeting the hospital's nutritional and operational needs.
Please be aware that this role isnot currently eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants should be aware of the requirement to independently obtain ongoing right to work in the UK beyond the expiry of any temporary or time-limited permissions. Evidence of this will need to be shared with the HR Team to ensure our records remain up to date.
Main duties of the job
As a Catering Assistant within the Catering Department, you will play a crucial role in delivering a high-quality service to the hospital, supporting the central meal service for patients, and maintaining excellent standards of cleanliness, food safety, and hygiene.
You will work collaboratively within a team, supporting both the patient meal service and the operation of the central dishwashing area. Your responsibilities will include the mechanical washing of crockery, cutlery, and utensils used by patients, staff, and visitors, as well as ensuring general cleaning duties are carried out throughout the catering environment.
The primary duties of a Catering Assistant include:
Food Preparation: Assist with food preparation, plating dishes, and supporting basic cooking tasks.
Stock Management: Monitor and manage supplies, ensuring stock levels are maintained and efficiently replenished.
Cleaning: Maintain cleanliness in kitchens and service areas, including washing up and ensuring hygiene standards are met.
Setting Up: Prepare the dining area or kitchen for service, which includes setting up furniture, trolleys, and service areas.
Customer Service: Provide exceptional service in retail outlets, ensuring staff and visitors experience high-quality service.
Meal Delivery: Safely and efficiently transport meal trolleys to and from wards, ensuring timely delivery.
Cash Handling: Operate tills and handle cash transactions, ensuring accuracy and security.
About us
At Dorset County Hospital, we are looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join our dynamic catering team during an exciting period of transformation. As a valued team member, you will play a key role in driving change and ensuring the delivery of high-quality meals to our patients, using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.
Within the catering department, you'll find a diverse and welcoming group of individuals who treat each other like family. Our team thrives on collaboration, and we celebrate the unique qualities that each member brings to the table. We believe in positive encouragement, providing ample opportunities for personal growth and professional advancement to those who show dedication and commitment.
This post is part of the Estates service that Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust may transfer to a NHS wholly owned subsidiary company from October or November 2025. This is an exciting opportunity to join a developing, expanding, organisation with a strong commitment to NHS values and putting patients first. The NHS wholly owned subsidiary will continue to offer NHS Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions to staff who transfer as well as new staff it recruits itself. We look forward to receiving your application.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Our DCHFT Job Description and Person Specification (attached) tells you all about this role, what to expect and what is needed to succeed. When completing your application please make sure to tell us how your experience and skills fit the person specification.
Please contact us at Recruitment@dchft.nhs.uk if you are unable to view or download the attachment.
For all our roles, we are looking for staff who hold our Trust Values of Integrity, Respect Teamwork and Excellence, and who are passionate about providing the best patient care. To read more about our Trust and our Values search Dorset County Hospital online.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Our DCHFT Job Description and Person Specification (attached) tells you all about this role, what to expect and what is needed to succeed. When completing your application please make sure to tell us how your experience and skills fit the person specification.
Please contact us at Recruitment@dchft.nhs.uk if you are unable to view or download the attachment.
For all our roles, we are looking for staff who hold our Trust Values of Integrity, Respect Teamwork and Excellence, and who are passionate about providing the best patient care. To read more about our Trust and our Values search Dorset County Hospital online.
Person Specification
Education, Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Evidence of School Eductaion
- Basic Food Hygiene
- Manual Handling of Loads
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Food Safety and Handling: Familiarity with basic food hygiene standards (e.g., Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate). Understanding of cross-contamination risks and allergen awareness
- Kitchen Operations: Experience working in a kitchen environment, assisting with preparation, cleaning, and organization. Knowledge of using basic kitchen equipment safely.
- Retail Operations: Experience in a retail or customer-facing role, preferably in food service. Knowledge of operating point-of-sale systems and handling cash or card payments
- Stock Management: Basic understanding of stock rotation (FIFO) and minimizing food waste.
- Health and Safety: Awareness of workplace safety protocols, including lifting and handling procedures.
- Communication Skills: Ability to communicate effectively with customers, team members, and supervisors.
- Flexibility in Scheduling: Willingness to work shifts, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and public holidays.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Food Preparation Skills: Basic food preparation, including chopping, portioning, and assembling meals. oUnderstanding of dietary requirements wither with modified texture or clinical dietary requirements
- Customer Service Skills: Friendly and professional demeanour when interacting with customers in retail settings. Ability to handle customer inquiries and provide assistance promptly and courteously.
- Flexibility and Adaptability: Willingness to perform a variety of tasks, including retail service, food preparation, and cleaning duties. Ability to switch between front-of-house and back-of-house roles as needed.
- Teamwork: Ability to work collaboratively with chefs, kitchen staff, and retail colleagues. Willingness to take direction and assist with team goals.
- Food Safety and Hygiene: Basic understanding of food safety practices, including proper storage, handling, and cleaning. Awareness of personal hygiene and its importance in food service environments.
- Time Management: Ability to prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment, ensuring timely meal service and retail operations.
- Numeracy Skills: Handling cash transactions accurately and efficiently in the retail setting. Recording inventory or assisting in stock management when needed.
Person Specification
Education, Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Evidence of School Eductaion
- Basic Food Hygiene
- Manual Handling of Loads
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Food Safety and Handling: Familiarity with basic food hygiene standards (e.g., Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate). Understanding of cross-contamination risks and allergen awareness
- Kitchen Operations: Experience working in a kitchen environment, assisting with preparation, cleaning, and organization. Knowledge of using basic kitchen equipment safely.
- Retail Operations: Experience in a retail or customer-facing role, preferably in food service. Knowledge of operating point-of-sale systems and handling cash or card payments
- Stock Management: Basic understanding of stock rotation (FIFO) and minimizing food waste.
- Health and Safety: Awareness of workplace safety protocols, including lifting and handling procedures.
- Communication Skills: Ability to communicate effectively with customers, team members, and supervisors.
- Flexibility in Scheduling: Willingness to work shifts, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and public holidays.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Food Preparation Skills: Basic food preparation, including chopping, portioning, and assembling meals. oUnderstanding of dietary requirements wither with modified texture or clinical dietary requirements
- Customer Service Skills: Friendly and professional demeanour when interacting with customers in retail settings. Ability to handle customer inquiries and provide assistance promptly and courteously.
- Flexibility and Adaptability: Willingness to perform a variety of tasks, including retail service, food preparation, and cleaning duties. Ability to switch between front-of-house and back-of-house roles as needed.
- Teamwork: Ability to work collaboratively with chefs, kitchen staff, and retail colleagues. Willingness to take direction and assist with team goals.
- Food Safety and Hygiene: Basic understanding of food safety practices, including proper storage, handling, and cleaning. Awareness of personal hygiene and its importance in food service environments.
- Time Management: Ability to prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment, ensuring timely meal service and retail operations.
- Numeracy Skills: Handling cash transactions accurately and efficiently in the retail setting. Recording inventory or assisting in stock management when needed.
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.
