• Job Description

  Req#: C9430-25-0319?language=en&page=278&sort=publicationDateDesc

  Job summary

  Ward food service assistant

  Department: Catering - Patients

  Band 2 £24,169 per annum, pro rata if part time (weekend enhancements apply)

  Food is Medicine - Exciting Opportunity at Milton Keynes Hospital

  An exciting opportunity has arisen to work within the Catering department at Milton Keynes University Hospital. The role is part of the team providing the lunchtime and evening service on site. The role involves you working on a ward, as part of their team and delivering the lunch, evening meal, drinks and snack rounds, and the sanitising and cleaning of crockery and cutlery on the ward.

  As part of our team, you will be providing patients with the important medicine that is our food, with over 35 different choices on our Menu. You will take the orders using an electronic tablet and cook the meals at ward level.

  You will be paid enhanced rates for weekends and bank holidays.

  The work is fast paced and rewarding. You will be making a difference to patient's care and recovery.

  You will be provided with a uniform, training and a locker.

  If you feel you can make a difference to our patient's lives and contribute to a happy and positive team, we want to hear from you.

  Come and join the foodservice team at Milton Keynes Hospital and lets all prove that Food is Medicine.

  Interview: 24.06.2025

  Please note that we are not able to offer sponsorship for this role.

  Main duties of the job

  Post holders will be responsible for foodservice for patients across Milton Keynes University Hospital sites in accordance with specified standards.

  We are looking to fill the following vacancies as part of our permanent team:

  Sunday 16.00-19.30 3.5 hours

  Wednesday and Thursday 16.00-19.30 7 hours

  We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute

  Estates and Ancillary staff group scored higher on the "We are safe and healthy" theme (7.01/10), indicating they experience a safer work environment, looking after themselves and each other and prioritising their wellbeing.(NHS Staff Survey 2023)

  About us

  MKUH staff scored highest for 'I look forward to coming to work' (NHS Staff Survey 2023).

  You can expect a warm welcome at Milton Keynes University Hospital, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At MKUH we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:

  • Free on-site parking
  • Free tea and coffee
  • Great flexible workingopportunities
  • Discounted gym membership
  • Lease car scheme
  • Generous annual leave and pension scheme
  • On site nursery (chargeable)
  • Extensive staff health and well-being programme

  Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital; we conduct research and teaching on site to improve the care of our patients. The hospital is undergoing significant investment, and we are proud to be rated good by the CQC. Visit our website to catch up on our latest news.

  Details

  Date posted

  04 June 2025

  Pay scheme

  Agenda for change

  Band

  Band 2

  Salary

  £24,169 a year per annum, pro rata if part time

  Contract

  Permanent

  Working pattern

  Part-time

  Reference number

  430-CC27114A-E

  Job locations

  Catering - Patients (Dept)

  Milton Keynes

  MK6 5LD

  
  

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  1. Assisting nursing staff in preparation of the breakfast trolley and the beverage trolley ready to assist in serving breakfasts, collection of breakfast trays once the patients have finished their meal. (Day staff only)

  2. Collection of finished meal trays and beverages from patients and returning to the ward kitchen, loading the crockery and cutlery into the ward dishwasher.

  3. Keeping any waste food and place it the caddy return it to the central dishwash when the insulated trolleys are returned.

  4. Preparation of the beverage trolley and service of beverages and snacks to patients (making sure that the items are appropriate to their dietary requirements and restrictions)

  5. Checking with the Nurse in charge to see if there have been any changes to patients or their dietary status

  6. Make sure the patient has a menu and ask the patient for their meal order making sure it is suitable for their diet status, answering any questions the patient has on the menu and food service

  Please refer to the attached Job Description for further details.

  MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices. We promote an inclusive workforce and encourage applications from applicants from all backgrounds.

  We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

  MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.

  By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.

  Upon commencing employment with the Trust, all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  1. Assisting nursing staff in preparation of the breakfast trolley and the beverage trolley ready to assist in serving breakfasts, collection of breakfast trays once the patients have finished their meal. (Day staff only)

  2. Collection of finished meal trays and beverages from patients and returning to the ward kitchen, loading the crockery and cutlery into the ward dishwasher.

  3. Keeping any waste food and place it the caddy return it to the central dishwash when the insulated trolleys are returned.

  4. Preparation of the beverage trolley and service of beverages and snacks to patients (making sure that the items are appropriate to their dietary requirements and restrictions)

  5. Checking with the Nurse in charge to see if there have been any changes to patients or their dietary status

  6. Make sure the patient has a menu and ask the patient for their meal order making sure it is suitable for their diet status, answering any questions the patient has on the menu and food service

  Please refer to the attached Job Description for further details.

  MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices. We promote an inclusive workforce and encourage applications from applicants from all backgrounds.

  We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

  MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.

  By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.

  Upon commencing employment with the Trust, all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.

  Person Specification

  Qualifications and knowledge

  Desirable

  • Level one Food Safety Certificate Food Safety Level 2 or working towards
  • Customer service or working towards

  Experience

  Desirable

  • Previous catering/retail/care experience
  • Customer service experience
  • Experience of working as part of a team

  Skills

  Essential

  • Able to accommodate the demands of the post
  • Good organizational skills
  • Ability to prioritise tasks
  • Flexible approach to duties and tasks
  • Ability to maintain accurate written records

  Desirable

  • Dietary/allergy knowledge
  • Ability to use a PC table

  Personal and people development

  Essential

  • To maintain patient confidentiality at all times
  • Able to take instructions and multitask
  • High standard of personal hygiene

  Desirable

  • Work as part of a team

  Communication

  Essential

  • Good verbal communication skills
  • Good written communication skills
  • Ability to interact with patients, ward staff, colleagues and hospital visitors

  Specific requirements

  Essential

  • Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
  • High level of personal hygiene

  Person Specification

  Qualifications and knowledge

  Desirable

  • Level one Food Safety Certificate Food Safety Level 2 or working towards
  • Customer service or working towards

  Experience

  Desirable

  • Previous catering/retail/care experience
  • Customer service experience
  • Experience of working as part of a team

  Skills

  Essential

  • Able to accommodate the demands of the post
  • Good organizational skills
  • Ability to prioritise tasks
  • Flexible approach to duties and tasks
  • Ability to maintain accurate written records

  Desirable

  • Dietary/allergy knowledge
  • Ability to use a PC table

  Personal and people development

  Essential

  • To maintain patient confidentiality at all times
  • Able to take instructions and multitask
  • High standard of personal hygiene

  Desirable

  • Work as part of a team

  Communication

  Essential

  • Good verbal communication skills
  • Good written communication skills
  • Ability to interact with patients, ward staff, colleagues and hospital visitors

  Specific requirements

  Essential

  • Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
  • High level of personal hygiene

  Disclosure and Barring Service Check

  This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such 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.

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

  Address

  Catering - Patients (Dept)

  Milton Keynes

  MK6 5LD

  
  

  Employer's website

  https://www.mkuh.nhs.uk/working-at-mkuh (Opens in a new tab)

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

  Address

  Catering - Patients (Dept)

  Milton Keynes

  MK6 5LD

  
  

  Employer's website

  https://www.mkuh.nhs.uk/working-at-mkuh (Opens in a new tab)

• About the company

  National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery—a health service based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom apart from dental treatment and optical care.

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