Cook East Kilbride Hospice

LOCATION: Kilbryde Hospice, East Kilbride

SALARY: £26,000/annum

HOURS: 37.5 hrs, rotational shift, 4 days over 7

REPORTS TO: Catering Manager

DEADLINE: Sunday 1st February 2026

Job Purpose

Ensure that patients, families, staff, volunteers and guests to the hospice have a first class dining experience and are provided with safe, nutritious, delicious, well presented food that enhances choice and wellbeing and demonstrates value for money. Ensure that food is prepared in a safe, hygienic environment in line with policies & procedures.

Environment

Kilbryde Hospice provides specialist palliative care services to the people of South Lanarkshire. It is a specialist resource for those individuals who have particularly complex needs. The Hospice strives to meet the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of patients and carers, offering support in coping with the practical implications of life‑limiting illnesses. Staff are required to provide the highest standard of patient‑centred care possible, while promoting choice, dignity, self‑esteem and an enhanced quality of life.

Key Accountabilities

• Liaise with clinical staff to identify the needs of patients using our services, including nutritional and dietary needs, menu choice and food preferences in order to inform the provision of food that meets their needs.
• Working with the Catering Manager produce a seasonal, inspiring and innovative menu reflecting a home cooked, bistro style that uses fresh produce, meets all dietary requirements, provides choice and caters to the identified preferences of our patients, staff, volunteers and guests.
• Support events held at the hospice liaising with relevant Managers to ensure the catering provision is safe, delicious, well presented and cost effective.
• Provide meal services over a period of hours so that there is flexibility and choice regarding the time people take breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Ensure access to a wide range of high quality snacks throughout the 24‑hour period for patients and visitors.
• Check all goods received, i.e. food, cleaning materials, equipment etc. to ensure they are as specified and meet requirements.
• Ensure the effective storage, preparation and use of stock, monitoring daily to ensure correct rotation and use by due date.
• Ensure safe systems of work to comply with legislation and best practice guidance across all catering provision.
• Ensure daily checks of temperatures in fridges and freezers are undertaken to comply with REHIS & Food Safety Standards.
• Maintain records for evidence to Healthcare Improvement Scotland and Environmental Health.
• Adopt best hygiene and safety practices and ensure access to food areas is restricted for non‑catering personnel.
• To have a comprehensive understanding of the principles involved in the production and preparation of cook‑chill products and be familiar with UK Government Cook‑Chill guidelines.
• To have an understanding of food allergens rules and regulations and put in place any protocols required.
• Participate in the education and training of others as appropriate to the role.

Essential Knowledge, Training and Experience Required

• REHIS Elementary Food Hygiene Certificate.
• Understanding of H&S Legislation and Generic Risk Assessment relating to the kitchen.
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and non‑verbal.
• The ability to forward plan, manage and prioritise workload while working in a busy environment.
• The post will require a degree of flexibility to provide cover during periods of staff absence.

Desirable

• HNC Professional Cookery qualification.
• Experience of / understanding of working within a Palliative Care Environment.
• Experience of working alongside volunteers.
• Working knowledge of current Microsoft office packages and databases.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• A supportive and team‑focused working environment
• The opportunity to contribute to the valuable work of the hospice community
• Enhanced Annual Leave entitlement, 7 weeks inclusive of bank holidays
• Workplace pension scheme
• On‑site parking available
• Close to public transport links (bus & train)
• Access to Cycle to Work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Death in Service benefit
• Access to Hospital Saturday Fund - employee benefits programme
• Staff discount on all food items
• Staff uniform

General Responsibilities Of All Employers

• Have a good understanding and comply with relevant Kilbryde Hospice Policies and Procedures at all times.
• Kilbryde Hospice is committed to encouraging volunteering throughout the organisation and as such the post holder will be expected to support and work effectively with volunteers.
• All staff are required to comply with the obligation of confidentiality relating to personal information that could identify individuals.
• Current data protection regulations, GDPR (2018) safeguards the handling of information held in both electronic and manual filing systems and it is the duty of all staff employed by Kilbryde Hospice to uphold the principles of the legislation.
• All employees of Kilbryde Hospice must be aware of infection prevention and control policies and are expected to follow them at all times.
• Any breach of infection control policies which places patients, visitors or colleagues at risk may result in disciplinary action.
• The post holder is required to familiarise themself with and comply with the Kilbryde Hospice Health & Safety policies.
• The post holder must at all times carry out duties and responsibilities with regard to the Kilbryde Hospice Code of Conduct.
• The post‑holder must at all times carry out his/her responsibilities in line with Kilbryde Hospice Dignity at Work policy and Equality, Inclusion & Diversity Policy.

Applicants should be aware that the role includes working with vulnerable groups and as such successful applicants will be subject to PVG check by Disclosure Scotland.

Review Of Job Description

This job description is an outline of the key duties and responsibilities of the role and is not intended as an exhaustive list. The job description may change over time to reflect the changing needs of the service. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties that could reasonably be considered commensurate with the post. This job description is subject to periodic review and may be changed/updated following consultation.

How To Apply

Please email your current CV and a cover letter detailing your suitability for the role, based on your experience and skills and how they match to the role description, to Closing date for applications: 1st Feb 2026. Interviews will be held week commencing 9th February 2026.