The majority of the doctors’ appointments are be available on-the-day, via our online triage system. This can be done:

• On-line - Click here. Our online triage system will be available from 06:00 - 13:30pm
• Over the phone or at reception.

After 13:30 we ask that patients who believe their request to be urgent and require to be seen on the same day to ring us and we will triage and ensure those who need an appointment urgently are seen. 

When booking your appointment we ask for a brief history of your complaint so that we can best guide you to the most suitable appointment i.e. with a doctor or nurse, HCA, direct you to a pharmacy or other care setting.

The request you send through on-line, or via telephone, will be dealt with directly by a clinician. Reception staff have also been trained to direct your request to the most appropriate person and in many instances they will be able to assist with any queries which are related to:

• Prescriptions
• Hospital appointments
• Blood tests, urine tests, X-ray results
• Private medicals, insurance and medical reports
• Sick notes

Extended Hours

The surgery does offer a late surgery on a Thursday.  These appointments will be offered to you as routine appointments when they are available.  

As part of a national initiative, patients will be able to access GP and Nurse appointments up till 8pm on weekdays and on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday mornings, at practices across Buxton and High Peak.

Appointments at Thornbrook Surgery will be available every Thursday evening, and appointments will also be available to our patients on other weekday evenings elsewhere (details below) and on weekends in either Buxton or New Mills.

• Mondays from 6pm – 8pm at Arden House Surgery (New Mills)Tuesdays from 6pm – 8pm at Buxton Medical Practice (Buxton)
• Tuesdays from 6pm - 8pm Goyt Valley Medical Practice (Whaley Bridge)
• Wednesdays from 6pm – 8pm at Elmwood Medical Centre (Buxton) and Sett Valley Medical Centre (New Mills)
• Thursdays from 6pm – 8pm at Thornbrook Surgery and Stewart Medical Centre
• Fridays from 6pm – 8pm will be offered between the practices listed above on a rotation basis. Please check our website or call the surgery for information on which surgery is on duty.

For further information about who is open on what night see the below link to the North Derbyshire Federation's website page:

All patients who desire it are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure. This chaperone will be a member of staff trained to carry out the chaperoning role; whenever possible we would ask that you make this request when booking your appointment so that arrangement can be made and your appointment is not delayed. 

Your Doctor or Nurse may also require a chaperone in certain circumstances and in accordance with the chaperone policy which adheres to the local and national guidance policy.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls.

In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by contacting us before 09:30.

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP.

You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

Each week at Thornbrook Surgery we have the equivalent of one whole day of surgery appointment time wasted.  This time is wasted because many patients book appointments and then do not come along for their appointment.  These are referred to as a Did Not Attend (DNA).

If you wish to cancel your appointment, please either:

• Telephone us on 01298 812725 or via the online triage system and we will be happy to cancel your appointment  
• Call in to the surgery and let the receptionist know.

Where patients do not let us know that they no longer want their appointment, Thornbrook Surgery will take the following steps:

For any missed appointment in a 12 month period:

• You will receive a telephone call or letter to enquire if you are okay and to ask why you were not able to attend your appointment.
• If you do not attend for your appointment for a second time in the 12 month period a second call or letter will be arranged explaining the next stage of our appointment cancellation policy.
• If you do not attend for your appointment a third time in this 12 month period the partners and manager at Thornbrook Surgery will discuss this.  It may be that this discussion will result in you being asked to reigster at another surgery. 

Thornbrook Surgery does not want to ask patients to move to another surgery.  The easiest way to stop this happening to you is to let us know if you are unable to attend for any of your booked appointments at the surgery.

We are a training practice for young GPs and each year fully qualified doctors with wide hospital experience join us. We welcome the fresh ideas and enthusiasm they bring to our team. 

Occasionally consultations may be video recorded - this is for educational purposes and will only be done with consent of the  patient. Physical examinations are not recorded and the camera will be switched off by request.

In addition students from Manchester University (medical students and nursing students) are regularly present at the practice to gain experience.