Cook – Canterbury

Do you want to develop your catering skills and be part of a pro-active professional team?

Do you have a passion for working collaboratively in an environment thriving on positive change?

Do you want to experience a sense of achievement by knowing that every day you contribute to the provision of person-centred care?

If so, then the role of Cook at Pilgrims may be just the job for you!

We are seeking well-motivated and forward-thinking professionals to join our team, in supporting the development and growth of our hospices across east Kent.

Main duties of the job

• Preparing a variety of hot and cold food, cooked to a high standard.
• Producing nutritionally balanced meals for patients, staff and visitors according to a daily menu.
• Liaising with other professionals in respect of special diets, that might be required for individual patients.
• Ensuring the required standards of cleanliness and hygiene are maintained at all times.
• Providing supervision and guidance to Catering Assistants.
• Deputising for the Head Chef as required.
• Maintaining paper and electronic records as instructed by the Head Chef.

Recognising the need to support employees working within this particular field, we provide an extensive range of physical and psychological support measures through our health and wellbeing programme, to ensure your success, including:

• A supportive and friendly working environment
• Regular quality interactions with our clinical and medical teams
• Strong working relationships with other members of the multi-disciplinary teams
• Ongoing training and CPD/career development
• Access to a range of resources to ensure staff have access to help and support where and when they need it
• Regular self-care and development sessions

About us

As an award-winning employer, Pilgrims provides end-of-life care services to patients and their families across east Kent.

Our commitment is to provide open, compassionate care and expertise for patients and their families – both in the community and in-patient units.

Our Vision

“Of a community where people with a terminal illness and their family and friends are supported and empowered to live well in mind and body until the very last moment of their life”.

We recognise that our workforce is integral to the delivery of our Vision and our organisational and charitable aims. Pilgrims Hospices continues to create a highly skilled, motivated, engaged and healthy workforce by providing an environment where staff and volunteers feel highly motivated to perform their roles to a consistently high standard, and actively role model our organisational behaviours and values.

To achieve our Vision, we have a shared set of values and behaviours that enable us to be the people and the charity that patients and their loved ones need us to be. They form our CODE, which guides us in our daily working and decision making:

Compassionate We treat everyone with compassion and care

Open We communicate openly, honestly and effectively

Dynamic We are dynamic, improving and developing our service

Empowered We empower people to achieve their outcomes

Other benefits

As an Employer of Choice, our commitment to supporting our employees and volunteers is a key priority.

Our Health and Wellbeing Strategy is an important step in ensuring the sustainability of our workforce, and clearly outlines our strategic intentions to improve employee capability, resilience, and engagement, to adapt to and embrace change as the health sector continues to develop.

Our hospices offer:

• Modern, friendly and highly professional working environments
• Opportunities for professional development through a range of extensive learning
• Alignment with NHS pay rates and continuity in membership of the NHS pension scheme
• A sense of achievement in supporting a worthwhile cause
• A sense of wellbeing
• A good work-life balance
• Locations across well-populated areas of east Kent – all providing very good road and rail links
• NHS and financial discounts i.e. Blue Light Card
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Free hospice parking

We invest in our employees, which is one of the key things that makes us an award-winning employer of choice.

If you think this is your ideal role and want to join us and contribute to providing high quality patient care and support to those at the end of their life, please apply now.