Food Service Assistant

Job overview

Are you passionate about providing excellent customer service? Do you enjoy working as part of a busy team in a role where your work directly supports patient care?

We are looking for enthusiastic and reliable Food Service Assistants to join our dedicated Catering Team at Tunbridge Wells Hospital. Every meal served plays an important role in a patient's experience and recovery, and you'll be a vital part of delivering a high-quality service to patients, visitors and staff.

The role involves being an integrated part of the Catering team providing Food and beverage services to the patients and maintaining the highest standard of cleaning to food preparation areas at ward level, ensuring at all times the highest degree of cleanliness, safety and care.

We are looking for enthusiastic, reliable and flexible individuals who take pride in their work, enjoy working as part of a team and are committed to delivering excellent service. You will need a positive attitude, good communication skills and a willingness to follow procedures and maintain high standards in a busy environment.

Main duties of the job

The Food Service Assistant team are responsible for providing all patient food from breakfast through to lunch and supper. Full training and the opportunity to gain qualifications is provided; however experienced candidates are also encouraged to apply. Therefore, if you have experience of working in a busy catering environment and have demonstrable experience of working autonomously, along with being a confident communicator, why not consider joining our team?

• Assisting with the preparation and service of meals for patients, staff and visitors.
• Ensuring food is handled, stored and served in accordance with food hygiene and safety procedures.
• Maintaining high standards of cleanliness within kitchens, pantries, dining areas and food service areas.
• Cleaning catering equipment, utensils, crockery and work surfaces.
• Monitoring, rotating and storing stock correctly, and reporting any wastage.
• Receiving deliveries and assisting with stock checks and stock control processes.
• Completing documentation including temperature records, cleaning
• schedules and other departmental records.Reporting equipment faults, hazards, incidents and near misses in a timely manner.
• Supporting compliance with health and safety, infection prevention and control, and departmental procedures.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to ensure an efficient and reliable catering service.
• Providing excellent customer service and contributing to a positive patient experience.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We’ve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.

Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Standard Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children)

All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.

Please note: This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship. In line with the UK Immigration Rules and Home Office Sponsorship Guidance, employers may only sponsor individuals for roles that meet strict eligibility, salary, and compliance requirements. Where a role does not meet these criteria, organisations are prohibited from assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship. Applicants must therefore already hold a valid immigration status and ongoing right to work in the UK in order to be considered.

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.