Dozens more GP surgeries are in crisis amid the increasing number announcing they are handing back their NHS contracts, the BMA is warning.
Sixteen surgeries have already handed contracts back to the Department of Health in the last year, the BMA's Northern Ireland chair Tom Black.
Eight of those are still seeking a new contractor, according to Pulse Today, the specialist magazine for general practitioners.
Mr Black estimates the overall number of surgeries "in crisis" at 30 on top of those surgeries that have already given up on contracts
or were previously identified as being close to doing so.
The Western trust has confirmed it will temporarily take over the Racecourse Medical Group GP practice in Derry, which has approximately 5,000 patients. It will run services from June 1.
Dr Black told the number of practices at risk is continuing to rise.
"Last summer, the BMA said we had 20 practices in Northern Ireland at risk, in crisis. People criticised us for coming out and saying that and yet 16 of those practices have since handed back their contracts," he said.
"At the moment, we have an additional 30 practices in crisis, that's 50 in total. We are worried a lot of those practices will hand back their contracts."
A failure to adequately address underfunding, increasing workloads and recruitment difficulties are putting surgeries under increasing pressures, Dr Black said.
Racecourse Medical handed back its contract in December. A Manchester-based GP had been due to take over but he has now dropped out, a DoH spokesperson told Radio Foyle.
The Western trust is stepping in to provide an interim solution following the unexpected withdrawal of the GP contractor who was awarded the contract earlier this month," the spokesperson said.
Dr Black said contracts are being handed back because of a number of issues, including serious difficulties finding a replacement when a doctor "retires or emigrates, or resigns".
He added young doctors are being offered more attractive terms and conditions in places like Australia or the Republic.
"In any other industry you would have increased the workforce - that hasn't happened because the funding isn't there," he said.
"From a financial point of view, it is very difficult to run a practice. "We do need to lay this at the politicians' feet and say, 'You have underfunded for a decade and a half, we told you this was going to happen, it has happened, you need to fix it now'."
Kilkeel Medical Practice in Co Down is the most recent surgery to hand back its contract, with its GP partners announcing the decision in late April.
“This difficult decision has been taken as the practice has been unable to recruit GPs to fill several vacancies for some time now,” the GPs said.
“The practice has been operating with half the workforce of three years ago and as a result the management of the ever increasing workload has become unsustainable
“The Department of Health will now begin the process of advertising and recruiting a new GP contractor.”
Maphoner Surgery in Mullaghbawn serves an estimated 5,000-plus patients but the current GP is due to step away from the position at the end of June.
The DoH said it is working on a solution but there are fears a replacement will not be found, either permanent or temporary.
A department spokesperson said: “Department of Health staff are working extensively to ensure the continuation of GP services for the local community in Mullaghbawn.
“We are still in discussions with potential contractors to take over the current contract for Maphoner Surgery from 1 July 2023."
