At a Glance
- Tasks: Join us as a Ward Catering Assistant, supporting meal services for patients in a busy hospital environment.
- Company: Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is dedicated to providing Five Star Patient Care.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working hours, generous annual leave, and access to NHS discounts.
- Other info: We value diversity and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on patient experiences while developing your skills in a supportive team.
- Qualifications: Experience in a kitchen or customer service role is preferred; Food Safety Level 2 is a plus.
The predicted salary is between 19400 - 27200 £ per year.
We want talented and enthusiastic people from all backgrounds to join #TeamMWL, with us you can learn, grow and develop yourself and your career, realising your true ambitions and aspirations.
Whatever you’re looking for in your career, you’ll find it here at MWL.
Main area None Grade NHS AfC: Band 2 Contract Permanent: 30 hours - Will include weekends and bank holidays if service requires Hours
- Part time
- Flexible working
Site Southport Hospital Town Merseyside Salary £25,272 Per Annum, Pro Rata Salary period Yearly Closing 06/08/2026 08:00 Interview date 13/08/2026
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Ward Catering Assistant to join our Team
Hours Available are - 1 x 30 hours permanent
The ideal candidate will have a "Can do attitude" flexible and will be a team player who has experience working in a busy kitchen environment.
The ideal candidate should have good customer care skills and experience of working in a kitchen/coffee shop/restaurant.
Food Safety level 2 certificate would be an advantage.
Candidates will be required to cover annual leave and absences if required to maintain a high standard of service.
Main duties of the job
As a Ward Catering Assistant, you will assist our ward teams improve patients experience whilst they are in hospital, supporting the front-line delivery of inpatient meal service to maintain standards for nutrition and hydration, reducing food waste and maximising efficiency.
You will be expected to provide a professional patient focused meal service ensuring hygiene and patient safety standards are maintained.
In addition, the Trust are committed to provide a excellent, essential patient care, supporting patients to receive optimal levels of nutritional and hydration during their episode of care by providing the right food for the right patient at the right time at each meal service.
Working for our organisation
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.
Our Services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation, freeing up space for more unwell patients. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
- Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Maintain all operational procedures
- Enforce compliance with Waste Management Policy to meet the changing requirements as segregation requirements increase
- To comply with Hygiene and Food Safety Legislation
- Ensure compliance with Facilities Management standards
- Ensure compliance with HACCP
- Ensure effective delivery of services to service users and customers
- Maintain and improve all aspects of the service
- Participate in staff involvement groups for all aspects of the Trust Quality Strategy 2012/15
- Observe legal requirements
- Responsible for the safe use of all equipment
- Ensure compliance and operational observance of safe working practices as detailed in all aspects of risk management
- Ensure all appropriate hygiene monitoring is carried out and recorded for every process
- Ensure compliance with national standards of cleanliness
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES
- To attend training courses as required and participate in annual refresher sessions in accordance with own Personal Development Review
LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide guidance and a knowledge base for new and existing staff
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- To ensure economical use of all Trust resources
- Maintain and monitor stock levels to meet the demands of the service
- Distribute and maintain economic and effective use of chemicals and products
- Monitor and record food wastage
Person specification
Qualifications
- Food Safety Level 2
- Basic Numeracy
- Basic Computer Skills
- HACCP Training
- ECDL or equivalent
Knowledge
- NHS Experience
Skills
- 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
- Cash handling abilities/use of cash registers
Other
- Physically demanding role
- Pushing and pulling trolleys/cages
- Varied deadlines and adhoc pressures
- Dealing with staff/customer issues
- Exposure to temperature variations
- Professional and hygiene awareness/appearance
- Varied shifts
Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward-thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.
Given sometimes we receive a high volume of applications to work for us, please be aware, that we may close a vacancy earlier than stated should a sufficient number of applications be received from which a shortlist can be confirmed. Therefore, you are advised to apply at your earliest convenience.
The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience. We always aim for continuous improvement in our practice.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
As a Disability Confident Leader , we commit to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.
If you are having difficulty completing an online application, or require any disability reasonable adjustments, to the application process, please contact Recruitment@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk
We also commit to offering an interview to all armed forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.
The Trust operates anonymous shortlisting where no personal information about you, including your name or personal details are shared with the recruiting manager. No equality information is shared at any time during the recruitment process with the recruiting manager or other people involved in the decision‑making process.
The equality monitoring information you provide is used in the following situations: to review our recruitment practices; where a job is limited to a specific person to verify their eligibility to apply; and to offer disability reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process.
Certificate of Sponsorship
eVisa UpdateFor successful candidates on selected work and study visa routes, who have completed and paid for their applications will no longer receive a visa vignette in passport as evidence of their permission to enter the UK. Instead, you will be issued with an eVisa only, which is accessed by creating a UKVI account. Before travelling to the UK, we advise applicants to:
- Understand how to generate an eVisa share code
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
If this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 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.
Please note if applicable, applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment.
If you have not already done so, you are therefore encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service to which a small annual fee of £13 per year applies.
Flexible Working
- All employees have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment.
- There is no limit on the number of requests they can make.
- Employees have the right to make requests, have them considered, regardless of the reason.
At Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we will consider requests for flexible working. We would also encourage you to also discuss flexible working options at interview stage.
Working for Team MWL
Staff recognition is especially important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Employee of the month. Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.
The Trust is a non-smoking across all our sites. Failure to follow this rule could lead to disciplinary action. For more information, see the Smoke Free NHS website.
You will be expected to undertake the Trusts' commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
You must ensure that your application, including personal statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
The Trust will not accept applications which are found to be AI generated and will check all applications against AI detection software.
Additional Information
Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trusts Values and Behaviours which are We are KIND, We are OPEN, We are INCLUSIVE, which can be found here .
An applicant guide to help and support you with your application and what to expect during your recruitment journey can be accessed in the supporting documents.
Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team MWL very soon.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Ward Catering Assistant employer: Merseywestlancs
At St Helens Hospital, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer, offering a supportive and inclusive work environment for our Therapy Assistants. Our commitment to professional development ensures that you will have ample opportunities to grow your skills while making a meaningful impact on patient care. With a focus on teamwork and collaboration, you'll be part of a dedicated team that values diversity and fosters innovation in rehabilitation services.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Ward Catering Assistant
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific duties of a Ward Catering Assistant. Understanding the importance of patient care and nutrition will help you demonstrate your commitment to the role during the interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Highlight any previous experience in busy kitchen environments or customer service roles. Be ready to share examples of how you've handled pressure and maintained high standards in food safety and hygiene.
✨Tip Number 3
Show your enthusiasm for working in a team by preparing to discuss how you collaborate with others. The role requires flexibility and teamwork, so be sure to convey your 'can do' attitude.
✨Tip Number 4
Research Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's values and achievements. Being able to align your personal values with theirs can make a strong impression during your interview.
We think you need these skills to ace Ward Catering Assistant
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role:Read the job description thoroughly to understand the responsibilities and requirements of a Ward Catering Assistant. Highlight key skills such as customer care, teamwork, and experience in a kitchen environment.
Tailor Your CV:Customise your CV to reflect relevant experience and skills that match the job description. Emphasise any previous roles in catering or customer service, and include any certifications like Food Safety Level 2.
Craft a Strong Personal Statement:Write a personal statement that showcases your enthusiasm for the role and the organisation. Mention your 'can do' attitude and flexibility, and how you can contribute to improving patient experiences.
Proofread Your Application:Before submitting, carefully proofread your application for any spelling or grammatical errors. A well-presented application reflects your attention to detail and professionalism.
How to prepare for a job interview at Merseywestlancs
✨Show Your Can-Do Attitude
During the interview, emphasise your positive attitude and willingness to take on challenges. The ideal candidate should demonstrate flexibility and a proactive approach, so share examples of how you've tackled difficult situations in previous roles.
✨Highlight Customer Care Skills
Since this role involves direct interaction with patients, it's crucial to showcase your customer care skills. Prepare specific examples of how you've provided excellent service in a busy kitchen or similar environment, focusing on your ability to meet diverse needs.
✨Demonstrate Knowledge of Food Safety
If you have a Food Safety Level 2 certificate, make sure to mention it. Even if you don't, be prepared to discuss basic food safety principles and why they are important in a hospital setting. This shows your commitment to maintaining high standards.
✨Prepare for Teamwork Questions
As a Ward Catering Assistant, you'll be part of a team. Be ready to discuss your experience working collaboratively with others. Think of examples where you contributed to a team's success or helped resolve conflicts, as this will highlight your team player mentality.
