New to addiction treatment? Clinic programmes and options for private addiction help can be confusing. Many simply don't know how to compare treatment providers and end up settling for less.
Here's everything you need to know when buying rehab - including how to ask the right questions and weed out weaker options.
Step 1 - Detox .v. Rehab
There are a wealth of treatment options available for those fresh to the journey of recovery. But spending just a little time getting clear on what you truly need, can save a costly mistake.
Detox Only, Or A Complete Recovery Programme?
Some providers can try to sell Rehab, and even Aftercare, upfront, before you've even started treatment, but do you really need all these?
- Have you been detoxed before? It's important to be clear on this.
Opting for the full package will provide more support, but think about if it's necessary.
When Is Close To Home, Too Close To Home?
Thinking of treatment nearby? It's a natural response when feeling low.
Unless you're extremely unwell, consider anything up to 100 mile radius and focus instead on quality of care.
Clinics have to pass muster with regulators re the basics of detox and rehab, but how supportive is their team? What is the staff:client numbers ratio? What happens if you struggle in future? Just a few minutes work here, can pay off down the line.
See all the locations Abbeycare serve, here.
More Than One Previous Detox?
Getting the right help means being picky about the support you'll receive while in treatment.
You'll want a clear idea here of what detox protocol you're getting, and what help is available during it.
Most clinics have standardised approaches for routine detoxes for alcohol etc, but anything more complex will need specialist input from suitably qualified professionals.
Does the medical team at a given clinic specialise in addiction? Or do they practice in more general matters, with addiction as a second interest?
KEY QUESTIONS
- Are you a rehab clinic, or a hospital?
- What professionals in the clinic are admininstering detox?
- My case is complex- what happens in the event of complications?
Step 2 - How Does Rehab Work?
What is the typical admission process?
Rehabilitation clinics operate a residential service - you stay residentially, in the clinic, 24hrs a day, usually with your own room and personal space.
Expect to complete a pre-admissions screening process over the phone - this is quite normal.
The Plan For Treatment
After admission to a clinic, staff will usually look to plan out your care in the clinic, and how that will work, for you personally.
This means a 'care plan' is drawn up, and agreed by you and your assigned care manager.
Together you'll map out key milestones, while accounting for past addictive patterns and behaviours. Don't miss this bit out.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Is the care planning the same for every client, or is it personalised to me?
- How do clinic staff know they're doing a good job at helping clients achieve recovery?
- Is care planning done for me, or is it collaborative?
- How is my treatment regimen communicated between staff members?
A Day In The Life
What is it like being in a rehab clinic?
The structure of each day will vary of course, from one provider to the next.
In treatment, you should receive some form of agenda for each day of the week. This schedule will be your guide for day to day life in the clinic, as you move through the stages of treatment in your care plan.
The time it takes to feel better at the initial stages of treatment is personal to each individual. Getting clear of the physical effects of alcohol or substance misuse in detox could take 3-6 days, for lighter use cases. Others may take much longer than this to progress. This variation is natural.
Always enquire about having a look around the clinic, by visiting first, before committing. Most clinics don't have an open-door policy, but will happily let you see inside, by arrangement.
KEY QUESTIONS
- What see inside photos do you have, of the clinic, online?
- Give me an idea of how each day is structured, whilst in treatment?
- Do you offer the opportunity to look around the clinic before admitting?
- When do you expect me to start taking part in the therapy process?
Does Covid-19 Affect My Rehab Treatment?
They say, that rehab and recovery are team sports.
Those in long term recovery achieved it, only by accepting help from others, and helping them, in return.
Achieving recovery in a covid-19 world, however, means making some accommodations along the way.
Step 3 - Planning A Budget For Rehab
Naturally, funding private rehab treatment in Adamsdown is a concern for many.
Public services are accountable to the tax payer, and seldom offer more specialist interventions.
Your mental health matters, and because of the costs involved, it's easy to opt for a very low end provider, with minimal support. Not always a great idea.
Instead, to keep costs reasonable but standards high, consider providers further afield, or smaller clinics with a lower headcount and rural location.
Get a rough indication of costs at this stage by calling a few clinics direct and make it clear your call is just an initial enquiry, to avoid over-committing to one provider too early.
Other Avenues For Help
Support In The Community
Even since covid-19, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous groups are still available, although most have now adopted online platforms to hold meetings, these can still be a rich source of support.
For most at the start of the recovery journey though, detox options are a very real need, and not something that can be obtained without more specialist help.
Mutual aid meetings have earned their place in everyone's recovery. But for short term help for detox, you'll need professional assistance.
NHS/Public Funding Options
Requesting a referral to your local CAT (Community Addictions Team) from your GP normally means being assigned to a local keyworker who will help you keep track of intake, effects it has, etc, but obtaining short-term rehab help via public healthcare, is unlikely.
Hospital or clinic based detox places strain on resources and funding, and is usually only available for extreme cases.
In reality, where the need for detox is urgent, we often see families and groups of friends pooling funds together, to help a loved one access treatment faster, from a private provider.
Step 4 - Read The Reviews
Opinions on different clinics' standards of care are ten a penny on the internet, but how do you know who to trust?
Enter The Care Quality Commission (E&W) and The Care Inspectorate (Scotland).
The CQC and The Care Inspectorate are the industry regulators, and complete routine inspections of private rehabs, which are often classified under the 'Care Homes' category, in their records.
This includes feedback on staffing, care and support levels, management, and environment.
Regulatory Reviews - The Need To Knows
Inspections can be "announced" (the clinic is aware in advance) or "unannounced" (inspection teams arrive without warning) - so for the best insight into everyday care levels, check for unannounced reports.
Step 5 - Choose A Clinic
At this point, you've got enough info to decide on one of the clinics you've seen.
Normally, the provider will take you through a few initial questions, when you call, to make sure you're a good fit, and will work well together.
An assessment shouldn’t normally take more than 20 minutes, after which you can pay any required financial deposit over the phone and expect some form of booking confirmation and receipt of payment.
It's a good time at this point to also sort out any payment by insurance policy, or other means.
Step 6 - Arranging Payment
As mentioned, an initial deposit payment is usually expected.
Most clinics will expect a deposit of £2,000 or more.
You won't find many clinics offering payment options directly, unfortunately.
Be sure to get a written confirmation of receipt for your deposit, and confirm with the provider any admin fees due, in the event of admission delays, or even cancellation, due to unforeseen circumstances.
Remaining Balance
The remaining balance is normally paid for on arrival at the clinic, at the point of admission.
It’s worth making the effort to settle this on time, as some providers can levy surcharges for late payment, and this quickly adds up, on larger balances.
Step 7 - Admission Into Treatment
If you don't already have it, contact the admissions team and confirm your date and time of arrival.
Pack enough essentials for your treatment duration, like:
Check your booking confirmation for advice about mobile phone usage, internet access, visits, leisure facilities, and any special arrangements for covid-19.
Most clinics have a busy schedule and making sure you arrive on time is important. Getting your means of transport to the clinic organised ahead of time, will ensure things are effortless, on the day.
Take a well-deserved rest, as the road to recovery opens up before you.
Asking The Right Questions
You've reached the end of our ultimate guide on finding the right rehab!
Thanks so much for reading our buyer's guide.
Help for addiction is available at Abbeycare's UK clinics.
Thousands have already joined Abbeycare to overcome addiction, from every corner of the globe.
All that experience has helped us assist those with even the most complicated detox and rehab needs.
Even if you're not local, we can still help with transport into treatment (full transparency - some costs do apply).
Our clinic inspection reports are available on the relevent service pages: Abbeycare Scotland, Abbeycare Gloucester.
Our admissions team can advise on what options are available.
Our medical team are ready to help you detox, comfortably.
Our therapeutic team can help you identify the issues behind addiction, and stop the pattern in your life.
The Abbeycare clinic team are ready to help you co-ordinate everything.
Are you ready for recovery?
To ask a question, or to arrange admission, ring our team now on 01603 513 091.
