Dozens of practices are out of pocket because the money they need to pay GP trainees is in arrears, it has been revealed.

The British Medical Association yesterday blamed contractors Capita, who are meant to reimburse practices for the salaries of trainees on behalf of NHS England.

It said the problem has been reported by practices throughout England – in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Derbyshire, Humberside, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the north-east.

The BMA’s GP committee has previously moved a motion of no confidence in Capita, calling on NHS England to reconsider its decision to contract support work to the company.

Capita says there has been “some confusion” about the details of reimbursements.

But GP committee workforce sub-committee chair Dr Krishna Kasareni said: “Practices up and down the country are now left without support for calculation of trainees’ salaries and are not getting the salaries reimbursed.

“Practices cannot absorb this level of financial drain at a time when they are stretched to breaking point already. We have escalated this as a matter of priority to NHS England and anything less than immediate resolution will not be satisfactory.”