Work is underway to find new GPs to take over two key medial practices in Co Down.
It comes after the current GP partners at Priory Surgery in Holywood, which incorporates Springhill Surgery in Bangor, announced they will hand back their contract to health bosses early next year.
The practices will stop providing General Medical Services from February 1st, 2023.
Read more: Work underway to find new GPs to take over North Belfast medical practice
The surgery operates out of two sites in Holywood and Bangor and provides GP services for 14,525 patients.
A search is now underway to identify a replacement GP contractor or groups of GPs to provide medical services for these patients.
In a statement to its patients on Wednesday, the current GP partners said: "The current GP partners at Priory Surgery (including Springhill Surgery) will no longer be providing General Medical Services from 1st February 2023.
"The Strategic Planning and Performance Group (which replaced the former Health and Social Care Board) are seeking a replacement GP contractor or a group of GP's to provide General Medical Services to the patients currently on our practice list. You can continue to access care from the practice as usual.
"We would kindly ask that you do not contact the practice to ask about this update as we are experiencing a very high demand on our telephone system from patients wanting to access GP services. If you have any queries regarding this please contact the Strategic and Planning Group at the Department of Health, Tel: 028 95363926."
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said: "Priory and Springhill Surgery remains open and patients who require GP care should continue to contact the surgery as normal. Work is underway to find GPs to take over the practice.
"Patients have been written to and should receive correspondence in the coming days. We will continue to keep patients informed of the outcome of this process."
Alliance Party MLA Andrew Muir has called for swift action and warned that Northern Ireland is at a "critical crisis point" when it comes to health care.
The North Down MLA told Belfast Live : “News from Priory Surgery in Holywood and Springhill in Bangor is a matter of real concern and apprehension for so many people, on foot of previous complaints from constituents in tears struggling to get the health care needed.
“Ability to access GP services is a key foundation of our NHS and should not be in question. We’re now at critical crisis point.
“Action must be swiftly taken by the Department of Health, with whom I am seeking a urgent meeting, to give patients the required assurances that business will be provided without interruption with service standards increased without delay.
“A restored Executive and confirmed Budget is essential to give framework to rebuild the NHS and Primary Care across Northern Ireland where the future of GP Surgeries is now in doubt at a number of locations,” Mr Muir added.
DUP MLA for North Down, Stephen Dunne said the news was very alarming.
He added: "I have raised this urgently with the Health Minister and Health Trust to ensure a replacement GP contractor is put in place to provide GP services for the many patients of the surgeries who rely on these vital services.
"It is already often a challenge to get in touch and get an appointment with a GP, and there can be no more reduction in service levels for the thousands of people who rely on these busy practises including many vulnerable and older patients."
Last month, the partners of Grove Medical Practice in North Belfast announced that they will be unable to provide doctor services from the end of this year.
New GPs are being sought to take over at the medial practice on York Road from 1 January 2023 and patients are being advised to continue to contact Grove Medical Practice as normal.
Elsewhere, the Western Trust took over the contract for Dromore and Trillick GP Practice in Co Tyrone, which was under threat following the current doctor's resignation.
In June, Health Minister Robin Swann published a review into general surgery provision in Northern Ireland.
Mr Swann said the plan to reconfigure how surgeries are carried out here will deliver safer and more consistent care for patients.
The review, which was led by consultant surgeon Professor Mark Taylor, has produced a new set of standards that hospitals will be required to meet to continue to provide emergency and planned general surgeries.
The plan envisages greater separation of emergency and elective surgery provision, with different hospitals specialising in the different services. The exercise is part of the wider plan to reshape health delivery in Northern Ireland.
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