Claire Radley, director of people from the trust, told the BBC she was “really surprised” and “a bit disappointed because the two offers were developed collaboratively with the phlebotomists and Unison”.
Radley said the union was now asking the trust to pay them as a band 3 without going through the independent panel and want to revert back to the providing the service in the same building as before the strike, rather than in outpatients.
“During the industrial action we have learned lots about the provision of phlebotomy services,” she said.
“We have developed a model which means we are getting patients out of the hospital much earlier as a result of the bloods being available much earlier and it is a better outpatient experience,” she added.
One phlebotomist, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the BBC: “We’ve only just found out the trust want to get rid of our department and the bespoke and skilled role of phlebotomists.
“Forcing us to become healthcare assistants will impact the quality and level of care that patients ought to rely on. For patients who are difficult to bleed they will know they need a trained phlebotomist.
“The fight is no longer about fair pay. This is about preserving a level of care that everybody should be entitled to.”
The trust said it is going to consider its position and respond to Unison within a the next week.