About this role
Job summary
We are looking for a Catering Menu & Provisions Assistant to provide comprehensive administrative and operational support to the Catering Department, ensuring the efficient delivery of patient meals, hospitality services, and retail catering. The role is essential in maintaining accurate data and supporting key operational processes, with particular responsibility for wastage reporting, allergen management, and patient menu collation to ensure patient safety, service quality, and regulatory compliance.
Collate patient menus from all wards accurately and within required timeframes, ensuring all dietary requirements, preferences, and service deadlines are met. This is a critical function that directly impacts patient experience, nutritional care, and service efficiency. This must be completed twice daily, 365 days a year, requiring a high level of accuracy, consistency, and reliability.
Maintain and regularly update allergen information across all menus and systems. This is a critical responsibility to ensure patient safety and compliance with food safety legislation. The post holder must ensure all allergen data is accurate, up to date, and reflects any menu or product changes immediately.
The role is part time for 27.50 hours per week
Interview date 18th August 2026
Main duties of the job
Carry out a wide range of administrative duties to support daily operations. Including collating patient menus for all wards twice daily, and regularly updating allergen information across all menus and systems.
Run, input, and send orders within deadlines for fresh Food Provisions daily. Goods receipt invoices and manage discrepancies.
Work collaboratively with the catering team and wider Trust colleagues.
Provide flexible support across the department as required.
Assist with inputting data for audit reporting.
Input and maintain accurate data across systems. Scan and upload documents to internal systems (e.g., ImageNow).
Maintain records relating to menus, allergens, stock, and finance.
Process mail and maintain documentation.
Ensure all documentation is up to date and submitted on time.
Undertake additional duties appropriate to the role as requested by management.
About us
UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.
If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.
UHD has active networks including Women's, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.
AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process.
Job description Job responsibilities
Collate patient menus from all wards accurately and within required timeframes, ensuring all dietary requirements, preferences, and service deadlines are met. This is a critical function that directly impacts patient experience, nutritional care, and service efficiency. This must be completed twice daily, 365 days a year, requiring a high level of accuracy, consistency, and reliability.
Maintain and regularly update allergen information across all menus and systems. This is a critical responsibility to ensure patient safety and compliance with food safety legislation. The post holder must ensure all allergen data is accurate, up to date, and reflects any menu or product changes immediately.
Run, input, and send orders within deadlines for fresh Food Provisions daily.
Goods receipt invoices and manage discrepancies.
Person Specification
application form Essential
GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and Maths Basic IT qualification or demonstrable competency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) Willingness to undertake job-related training (e.g. food safety, allergen awareness) Experience of working in an administrative or clerical role. Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel (data entry, basic formulas, spreadsheets) and Outlook Experience using databases or electronic systems for ordering, reporting, and record keeping. Ability to work within a 365-day service, including flexibility in working patterns.
Desirable
Level 2 Food Safety / Food Hygiene Certificate Level 2 Allergen Awareness training NVQ Level 2/3 in Business Administration, Catering, or related field Experience within a healthcare catering environment. Experience with menu collation or food service systems. Knowledge of stock management or ordering systems
interview Essential
Awareness of food safety and hygiene principles Flexible and adaptable to changing service demands. Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with a wide range of stakeholders, including ward staff, patients, and colleagues. Ability to accurately read, interpret, and record written information (e.g. patient menus, dietary requirements, allergen data)
Desirable
Interest in catering, nutrition, or healthcare services Ability to explain complex information (e.g. dietary or allergen details) in a clear and accessible way. Awareness of hospital catering operations and patient dietary needs
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
Address Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Castle Lane
Bournemouth
BH7 7DW
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/careers (Opens in a new tab)