No takers yet on this one, then, Matt?
OK; I see you mention "Trust" and so imagine that you're really (only) interested in NHS scenarios ... but I'll chip in my tuppence worth anyway ... and repeat my oft-reported assertion that I believe that in-house Biomed Services should be a 24x7 operation.
Basically a three-shift system with an hour or so overlap at each change-over. The "night-time" shift would usually be at reduced staffing (maybe just the one tech), unless something special was planned ... blitzing PM "catch-up", for example.
Regarding meal times (one per shift) ... these need to be at least one hour. Other breaks will be taken "as and when", and will be of the "tea-break" variety. There should always be a kettle in (or adjacent to) the workshop!
I generally get all sorts of "feedback" (howls of anguish and-or derision) when I mention this stuff - shouts of "unsocial hours", Health and Safety, "lone working" ... and much more; all of which I regard as hogwash, and an impediment to providing an efficient service to equipment users.
And before anyone starts moaning about finding staff willing to work "unsocial hours" ... there are such folk about (I used to be one of them). You can clear a lot of PM during the night shift (when you can get access to Theatres, and other such places).
