Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Chef

The closing date is 14 July 2025

Job summary

Southport and Ormskirk Facilities are looking to recruit a conscientious and enthusiastic Chef to join our team going forward in these exciting times.

Southport and Ormskirk is a traditional cook trust that provides quality freshly prepared food to patients, staff and visitors alike.

The role involves working in all areas of the kitchen including pastry, breakfasts, vegetables, main courses and special dietary requirements.

Main duties of the job

The Catering Department based at SouthportHospital is looking for an experienced Chef.

The ideal candidate should have good culinary skills and experience of large scale catering with an eye for detail.

Do you have City & Guilds 7061&2 or NVQ Level 2, experience in menu planning and good organisational skills?

Are you motivated and willing to work with the team around you?

If so we can offer you:-

  • Working 37.5 hours per week over two days between 12.00 - 8.00pm working weekends and Bank Holidays on a rota basis
  • Salary Band 3
  • Chef for 37.5 hours Southport Catering Department and if service requirements are needed at Ormskirk Hospital Catering Department
  • 27 days holiday per year (pro- rata) rising to 29 after 5 years
  • NHS Pension Scheme
  • Essential Requirements: City and Guilds 7061/7062 or equivalent

About us

The Secretary of State has approved the partnership between St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals and Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals.

On 1st July we came together as a single organisation under the name Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

The Trust delivers acute hospital care, intermediate care, community, and primary care services to a population of over 600,000 people with a combined workforce of around 9000 dedicated and skilled staff from 17 locations including Whiston, Southport & Formby, St Helens, Ormskirk and Newton hospitals.

The Trust provides regional services for burns, plastic surgery and spinal injuries to more than 4 million people across Mersey and West Lancashire, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and North Wales.

Our Vision is to deliver 5 Star Patient Care:

  • CAREthat is evidence based, high quality and compassionate
  • SAFETY that is of the highest standards
  • COMMUNICATION that is open, inclusive and respectful
  • SYSTEMS that are efficient, patient centred and reliable
  • PATHWAYS that are best practice and embedded, but also respect the individual needs of patients

Our achievements include:

  • Trust rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
  • Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
  • Awarded National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for our Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

Please see our Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information on our staff benefits. Accessible version available upon request.

Details

Date posted

07 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,625 to £25,674 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Flexible working

Reference number

409-7090514

Job locations

Southport and Ormskirk

Town Lane

Southport

PR8 6PN


Job description

Job responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

Maintain all operational procedures, inform ward / staff of menu changes and communicate any dietary information to patients and retail.

Enforce compliance with Waste Management Policy to meet the changing requirements as segregation requirements increase.

Assist in departmental waste procedure following guardians of waste process.

Comply with all aspects of Hygiene and Food Safety LegislationStock rotation and store keeping as appropriate identify any anomalies which will affect menus and communicate to Management team.

Organise daily work communicating with colleagues this is to include cooking methods, cooking times, cooking procedures, re-organises menus at a short notice for fresh cook system.

Regeneration of cook chill/freeze products IDSSI meals, and special diets.

Adhere to Clean as you go principles

Assist in ordering process of provisions as appropriate

Deals with Patient and service users queries

Assist Catering Manager and Team leader with implementation of any departmental changes.

Job description

Job responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

Maintain all operational procedures, inform ward / staff of menu changes and communicate any dietary information to patients and retail.

Enforce compliance with Waste Management Policy to meet the changing requirements as segregation requirements increase.

Assist in departmental waste procedure following guardians of waste process.

Comply with all aspects of Hygiene and Food Safety LegislationStock rotation and store keeping as appropriate identify any anomalies which will affect menus and communicate to Management team.

Organise daily work communicating with colleagues this is to include cooking methods, cooking times, cooking procedures, re-organises menus at a short notice for fresh cook system.

Regeneration of cook chill/freeze products IDSSI meals, and special diets.

Adhere to Clean as you go principles

Assist in ordering process of provisions as appropriate

Deals with Patient and service users queries

Assist Catering Manager and Team leader with implementation of any departmental changes.

Person Specification

Our Values

Essential

  • We are Kind
  • We are Open
  • We are Inclusive

Qualifications

Essential

  • NVQ Level 2 Cookery
  • Food Hygiene Certificate Level 2
  • Basic Numeracy
  • HACCP Training
  • Basic Computer Skills

Desirable

  • ECDL or equivalent
  • NVQ Level 3 Cookery
  • Food Safety Level 3/4 Certificate

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Dietetic Knowledge
  • Large scale catering production
  • Varied cooking ability
  • Team working

Desirable

  • NHS Experience

Skills

Essential

  • Customer Care Skills
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Provision of a patient/customer focussed service
  • Principles of Risk Management
  • Communication
  • Ability to instruct other less qualified staff or students

Desirable

  • Cash handling abilities/use of cash registers

Other

Essential

  • Physically demanding role
  • Varied deadlines and adhoc pressures
  • Dealing with staff/customer issues
  • Professional and hygiene awareness/appearance
  • Varied shifts
  • Flexible approach to work duties
  • Weekend and Bank Holiday Working
  • Cross site cover
Person Specification

Our Values

Essential

  • We are Kind
  • We are Open
  • We are Inclusive

Qualifications

Essential

  • NVQ Level 2 Cookery
  • Food Hygiene Certificate Level 2
  • Basic Numeracy
  • HACCP Training
  • Basic Computer Skills

Desirable

  • ECDL or equivalent
  • NVQ Level 3 Cookery
  • Food Safety Level 3/4 Certificate

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Dietetic Knowledge
  • Large scale catering production
  • Varied cooking ability
  • Team working

Desirable

  • NHS Experience

Skills

Essential

  • Customer Care Skills
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Provision of a patient/customer focussed service
  • Principles of Risk Management
  • Communication
  • Ability to instruct other less qualified staff or students

Desirable

  • Cash handling abilities/use of cash registers

Other

Essential

  • Physically demanding role
  • Varied deadlines and adhoc pressures
  • Dealing with staff/customer issues
  • Professional and hygiene awareness/appearance
  • Varied shifts
  • Flexible approach to work duties
  • Weekend and Bank Holiday Working
  • Cross site cover

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

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Southport and Ormskirk

Town Lane

Southport

PR8 6PN


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Southport and Ormskirk

Town Lane

Southport

PR8 6PN


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Catering Service Manager

Angela Wakefield

angela.wakefield@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk

01704704091

Details

Date posted

07 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,625 to £25,674 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Flexible working

Reference number

409-7090514

Job locations

Southport and Ormskirk

Town Lane

Southport

PR8 6PN


Supporting documents

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