Catering Assistant

A great opportunity has arisen to join our professional catering teams at Gloucestershire Hospitals. Each year, our hard working staff prepare, cook and serve over a million meals for patients, staff and visitors from our production kitchen.
The role of the catering assistant is to ensure that patients, staff and visitors are provided with an efficient food and beverage service delivered in a polite and courteous manner. We want people who are passionate about food and as equally passionate about delivering excellent customer service.
- Preparation for service, portioning and presentation of meals, checking for Special Diets and liaising with nursing staff to ensure high standards are achieved consistently.
- To undertake general cleaning duties within catering department and associated areas, following safe systems of work and achieving agreed standards
- To wash up cutlery, crockery, utensils, equipment and containers, ensuring a clean and safe food and beverage service is available at all times
- Provide good customer service and build good relationships with our customers, greet customers and approach them in a way that is natural and fits the individual situation

GMS is a forward looking and enterprising organisation with a clear vision for the future of delivering high performing services with a focus on continuous improvement. Our 720-strong team are responsible for developing, maintaining and operating those facilities to support the needs of our staff and customers, and to achieve GMS’s vision.
We provide essential facilities management and estates services to Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, ensuring a high quality environment for the benefit of staff, visitors and patients. Specialising in healthcare, we have a deep understanding of the sector and what is required to keep non-clinical operations running smoothly, now and in the future.

**GMS vision**: Together, exceptional every day.

**GMS values**:
**1. excellence**: we are proactive, enthusiastic and put the customer first in everything we do

**2. inclusive**: we work as a team and value everyone’s contribution

**3. integrity**: we are honest, principled and reliable

**4. listening**: we are welcoming and are interested in other people’s thoughts and feelings.

1 Prepare and assemble a range of salads, sandwiches, cold buffet items and desserts for patients and retail outlets as per production schedules, ensuring standard recipes and production methods are maintained.

2 Present cold production items in the agreed format for patient services and retail outlets, ensuring high standards of presentation and yield are achieved.

3 To set up food displays in retail outlets as agreed with the Dining Room Supervisor/Manager.

4 To undertake general cleaning duties within the catering department and associated areas, following safe systems of work and achieving agreed standards

5 To follow departmental instructions for safe working practices within the department and ward service points and to advise management of faults or hazards with equipment or in working practices so action can be taken

6 To assist in the setting up and clearing down of central plating area. The dishing up of patients meals, ensuring that portioning and presentation are in line with departmental standards, i.e. meals for special diets are correct according to menu cards or instructions from dietitians

7 To co-operate with other members of staff to ensure the efficient and safe operation of the department.

8 To assist in the dispatch and delivery of meals for patients, visitors and staff and collection of meal trolleys from Ward areas.

9 To be responsible for the collection and disposal of waste from one’s own specific work area.

10 To report to a supervisor any accident/incident immediately it occurs.

11 To maintain a clean, tidy and professional appearance.

12 To observe the correct use and care of equipment, reporting any damage, malfunction or maintenance requirements to a supervisor.

13 To observe and comply with all elements of personal hygiene with regard to the Food Safety Act and Regulations.

14 To attend any training courses identified as relevant to the post or in an effort to assist personal development.

15 To comply with all Trust Policies, Procedures and initiatives, in particular the ‘Assured Safe Catering’ document.

16 To ensure that where appropriate all stock is rotated so that, on all occasions, older stock is used first.

17 To accurately complete basic departmental documentation to meet requirements of Food Hygiene, Health and Safety and Financial controls.