Food Service Assistant
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Tunbridge Wells, TN2 4QJView on map(opens Google Maps in a new tab)
Salary
£25,272
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Not specified
Closing date
3 November 2026
14 days leftJob description
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...
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.
Weve 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.
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 and 2024 NHS Staff Survey.
We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.
Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.
Looking for flexible working?We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it's adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.
Click here to hear what our staff say.
- At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
- Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
- Blue Light card eligibility
- And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below
Qualifications
Essential: - Good level of general education; - Reasonable level of numeracy & literacy.
Desirable: - Basic Food Hygiene Certificate; - Educated to GCSE A to C standard
Experience/Knowledge
Essential: - Experienced in working in catering services
Desirable: - Experience in working in a large scale catering dept.
Skills
Essential: - Good communication skills
Desirable: - Customer care
How to apply
Applications are handled entirely by the employer on the original advert. We do not collect CVs, supporting statements or application data.
Provenance
Source
NHS Jobs
First seen
20 October 2026
Last checked
20 October 2026
Salary, closing date and description are taken from the employer's advert. The original advert always takes precedence.
About the employer
NHS organisation
This listing was structured from NHS Jobs. Vacancy details and the application process remain the responsibility of the original source.
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