The backlash against Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s imposition of new contracts for junior doctors refused to abate yesterday as hospital bosses rejected his claim they supported the move.

Twenty English NHS health trust bosses’ names were on a letter from chief negotiator David Dalton advising the government to do “whatever it deems necessary” to break the deadlock with medics.

And Mr Hunt claimed their support when announcing his decision to force through changes to pay and conditions in the Commons on Thursday.

But around half of the chief executives named have now said they did not agree to the contract being forced on junior doctors, even though they backed the government’s terms.

At least one such individual said she was unaware that her name was even on the letter until it was published.

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Andrew Foster said the letter that he and 19 other NHS leaders backed was not the one that advised the government to do “whatever it deems necessary” to break the deadlock.

Mr Foster said he had “not supported contract imposition. I have supported the view that the offer made is reasonable.”

Mr Dalton denied that the chief executives listed on the letter had been asked to give their support to imposed contracts.

The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents junior doctors, has vowed to fight the decision, to which its members have reacted with anger.