Catering Assistant

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.

Job description

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.

We understand that some applicants may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in preparing their application materials. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind candidates that all submissions must be truthful and accurately reflect your own experiences and suitability for this role.

Personal integrity and authenticity are central to our recruitment process. We value honesty and appreciate applications that are genuine and representative of the individual behind them.

Right to Work in the UK:This role is not availablefor Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application. Unfortunately, we are unable to support visa applications for this post in line with UKVI regulations.

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.

About the employer

At DCH, 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.