The community of Coachford has raised concerns as the village's only GP surgery has been given six months to vacate the building that they are currently renting.
For around 15 years, Coachford Family Practice has been renting a building to the west of the village, beside Casey's Funeral Home.
Macroom Credit Union services currently operate out of the Coachford branch one day a week.
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The GP surgery premises is owned by Macroom Credit Union, which uses part of the building as a sub-office.
The Credit Union has said that after reviewing the lease and under the Credit Union Act, Macroom Credit Union cannot use the building for any other purposes other than credit union business and has issued notice to terminate the lease.
With Dr Sarah Kingston and the team at Coachford Family Practice given just six months to leave the building, the community now faces the possibility that they may lose their only GP service, Cork Beo reports.
Martha McCaffrey from Coachford Community Council said that given the lack of rural GPs, having the well-established Family Practice in the village is "fantastic."
"It's in the village, it's within walking distance of the pharmacy and there's an area for people to park, from an access and disability point of view it's readily available," she told Patricia Messinger on C103's Cork Today Show.
"We're very, very lucky to have a GP as it is because so many areas don't have any... and the GP practice itself is absolutely fantastic."
She said that there are many in the area who are worried they may lose their local doctor "within 6 months,"
"Suddenly it's been sprung upon the community that this is going to happen," she said.
"Coachford is a hugely expanding area, there's roughly 17 new houses gone up... there's planning for another 45 new developments on the Coachford main road.
"We've got an ageing population, we've little or no public transport, so how people will actually go elsewhere to a GP surgery... it's scary really."
"Equally we are very lucky to have the Credit Union," she said, "that's a valid, very important source of business in the area as well,
"We're lucky to have both, but it's the suddenness of it - 6 months is very little."
A statement issued by Macroom Credit Union confirms that following a review of the lease and "under the Credit Union Act, it is precluded from using the premises for any purpose other than conduction credit union business,
"Unfortunately, this has resulted in Macroom Credit Union providing notice to the GP practice of the termination of the lease to avoid breaching statutory regulations."
The Family Practice said they are aware of the concerns and are working to remedy the situation. Macroom Credit Union have said they will work with the GP practice in "as flexible a manner as possible while they seek an alternative premises."
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