Overview
Southport and Ormskirk Facilities are looking to recruit a conscientious and enthusiastic Chef to join our team. Southport and Ormskirk is a traditional cook trust that provides quality freshly prepared food to patients, staff and visitors alike.
The role involves working in all areas of the kitchen including pastry, breakfasts, vegetables, main courses and special dietary requirements. The ideal candidate should have good culinary skills and experience of large scale catering with an eye for detail. Do you have City & Guilds 7061&2 or NVQ Level 2, experience in menu planning and good organisational skills?
Main duties
* Provide a customer focused service
* Preparation, cook and serve all types of food items, including special diets without direct supervision
* Organise, deliver, develop and improve the catering service throughout the Trust
* Ensure efficient management of all catering services
* Ensure compliance with all legislation relating to risk management and security
* Ensure compliance with all legislation relating to food safety management
* Cleaning of structures, equipment and meal service components as specialised in work instructions
* Store keeping including checking deliveries, storage and stock rotation; identify any anomalies
* Operate with minimal direct guidance from a team leader when required
* Ensure a secure working environment for patients, visitors and staff
* Promote and maintain point of sale
* Undertake all aspects of the cash handling process when necessary
About us
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 supports rehabilitation and urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services – Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital serving 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
* National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Details
Date posted: 17 September 2025
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 3
Salary: £24,937 to £26,598 a year Per Annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 409-7090514-C
Job locations: Southport and Ormskirk, Town Lane, Southport, PR8 6PN
Job responsibilities
* Maintain all operational procedures, inform ward/staff of menu changes and communicate dietary information to patients and retail
* Enforce compliance with Waste Management Policy and assist in departmental waste procedures
* Comply with Hygiene and Food Safety Legislation
* Stock rotation and store keeping; identify anomalies affecting menus and communicate to Management
* Organise daily work with colleagues, including cooking methods, times and procedures; reorganise menus at short notice for fresh cook system
* Regeneration of cook-chill/freeze products and IDSSI meals, and special diets
* Adhere to Clean as you go principles
* Assist in ordering provisions as appropriate
* Handle patient and service user queries
* Assist Catering Manager and Team Leader with departmental changes
Clinical & Professional Responsibilities
* Ensure compliance with Facilities Management standards
* Ensure effective delivery of services to service users and customers
* Maintain and improve all aspects of the service
* Participate in staff involvement groups and quality initiatives
* Observe legal requirements; ensure HACCP compliance
* Ensure safe use of all equipment and safe working practices
* Monitor hygiene and cleanliness to national standards
* Use Monika systems effectively
Teaching & Training Responsibilities
* Attend training courses and participate in annual refresher sessions
* Ensure compliance with Food Safety Level 2 and allergen training
* Ensure 100% mandatory training compliance
Line Management/Supervisory Responsibilities
* Provide guidance and knowledge base for new and existing staff
Financial Responsibilities
* Ensure economical use of Trust resources/materials
* Maintain stock levels to meet service demands
* Use chemicals and products economically and effectively
* Minimise food wastage and adhere to standard recipes
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Essential: NVQ Level 2 Cookery
* Essential: Food Hygiene Certificate Level 2
* Essential: Basic Numeracy
* Essential: HACCP Training
* Essential: Basic Computer Skills
* Desirable: ECDL or equivalent
* Desirable: NVQ Level 3 Cookery
* Desirable: Food Safety Level 3/4 Certificate
Knowledge and Experience
* Essential: Dietetic Knowledge
* Essential: Large scale catering production
* Essential: Varied cooking ability
* Essential: Team working
* Desirable: NHS Experience
Skills
* Essential: Customer Care Skills
* Essential: Ability to work under pressure
* Essential: Patient/customer focussed service
* Essential: Principles of Risk Management
* Essential: Communication
* Essential: Ability to instruct other staff or students
* Desirable: Cash handling/cash register use
Other
* Essential: Physically demanding role
* Essential: Varied deadlines and ad hoc pressures
* Essential: Dealing with staff/customer issues
* Essential: Professional and hygiene awareness/appearance
* Essential: Varied shifts and flexible duties
* Essential: Weekend and Bank Holiday working
* Essential: Cross-site cover
Disclosure
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a Disclosure to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details
Employer: Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Address: Southport and Ormskirk, Town Lane, Southport, PR8 6PN
Employer's website: Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
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