If you're looking for drug or alcohol addiction help - you'll have already realised the myriad of options on offer. It's easy to end up paying too much for a treatment clinic that underdelivers.
Here's everything you need to know when buying rehab - including how to ask the right questions and weed out weaker options.
Step 1 - Understand What You Need
When you or a loved one are finally ready for help, it can be tempting to pick up the phone and sign up for the first rehab clinic you can find. But use your needs, and past experience, first and foremost, as your guide to what treatment will work best.
Detox Only, Or A Complete Recovery Programme?
Whilst most follow the conventional programme of detox, then rehab, then aftercare, it's possible to do only one of these. But is it right for you?
- Unsure if you need detox, rehab, aftercare, or all 3? (Be honest).
Committing unnecessarily to all 3 stages of treatment may see you paying too much, but not having enough support down the line could also mean paying the cost of rehab again.
Rehab In The Right Place
Thinking of treatment nearby? It's a natural response when feeling low.
But there's more to consider, in your long term sobriety journey, than the clinic next door.
Most clinics provide standard detox protocols and some form of therapy. But will they still be supporting you after you leave the clinic? Just a few minutes work here, can pay off down the line.
See all the locations Abbeycare serve, here.
Previous/Complex Detoxes
Like many things in life, the quality of your experience in a rehab clinic can come down to the breadth and depth of experience of the staff you're working with.
You'll want a clear idea here of what detox protocol you're getting, and what help is available during it.
The medical team at a given clinic have the final say of course, but the admissions team for a provider should be well-versed enough to give you an idea of how your detox will proceed.
Getting reassurance that the provider is not only ready to detox you based on your needs, but has done so many times for others in the past, is important.
KEY QUESTIONS
- In your experience, would someone with my detox needs be better suited for hospital detox?
- What experience do you have in administering detox for individuals with my specific intake and frequency?
- If there are unexpected issues during my detox, what happens?
Step 2 - How Does Rehab Work?
How does admitting to rehab work?
Rehab clinics are not hospitals with shared wards - you'd normally have your own room in the clinic for the length of your stay. Some clinics also offer shared rooms - although this has become less common since the advent of coronavirus.
Since every individual is different, and needs can vary widely, (even two people consuming the same amount of alcohol or drugs can need very different timescale and treatment) - a personal assessment is usually needed, before admission to a clinic can go ahead.
What Is A Care Plan?
Clients are normally encouraged to actively monitor their progress towards recovery treatment goals and outcomes.
If staff do not offer to help draw up a personalised care plan of action for your clinic time, and longer recovery journey, you've chosen the wrong provider.
Be sure to take an active part in this, to avoid having standardised goals laid out, that don't match your preferences or personal situation. Any input at this stage will likely pay dividends later.
KEY QUESTIONS
- To what extent is my care and management planned and mapped out?
- How do I make sure I stay on track during treatment?
- What will my care plan include?
- How is my treatment regimen communicated between staff members?
What Do I Do In The Clinic, Each Day?
What is it like being in a rehab clinic?
Without actually being in the clinic, the closest you can get is to ask questions about the daily experience of life in the clinic.
Every day new clients enter treatment and previous ones leave. Although everyone is at different stages of treatment, providers must keep everyone on track. This means preparing and issuing a daily agenda. The agenda lets you know what's happening when, and what activities you should participate in.
Factors such as previous detoxes, history of relapse, amount and duration of intake, and others, will determine how long the detox stage of treatment takes. Detox could last just a few days. Others may take 7 days or longer. This level of variance between individuals is very normal.
Call the clinic's admissions team to arrange to look around the inside of the centre before completing any paperwork. This can give you a real feel for how the day to day looks and feels.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Is it possible to see internal photos of the centre, before admitting?
- Can you send me an example of what the daily schedule is like, in the clinic?
- How do I arrange to see inside the clinic, before admitting?
- When do you expect me to start taking part in the therapy process?
Rehab & Covid-19
Since rehab treatment is usually a communal environment, you should expect to have to accommodate others on the journey.
In fact, a big part of recovering in the longer term, is re-learning to interact with others, and break the old patterns of isolation.
Achieving recovery in a covid-19 world, however, means making some accommodations along the way.
Step 3 - What Budget Is Available For Treatment?
Naturally, funding private rehab treatment in Broadstone is a concern for many.
The ability of third sector or voluntary organisations to deal with more complex detox needs is usually slim - it's worth looking into this though.
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.
Double check standards of care and therapy provided for lower cost providers - you may be surprised. Opt instead for a middle-tier clinic, with a better balance of cost to care levels provided.
Call round a few providers, using our cheatsheet if needed - and get a feel for pricing, and whether they can meet your needs comfortably. Don't commit to anything just yet.
Other Ways To Get Help
Local Mutual Aid Meetings
12 step support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are usually available in most locations, although meetings have largely shifted towards online now, in the wake of covid issues.
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.
Community support is invaluable, at the right stage in the process. But at the early stages, it's important to get safe and comfortable professional help to detox.
NHS/Public Funding Options
Whilst the NHS do have addiction keyworkers in different regions, they’re normally overrun with enquiries and demand on resources, meaning obtaining funding for a rehab stay is unlikely.
Eligibility for short term detox is slim, and is usually restricted to only a handful of 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
While many providers will claim to show many positive reviews, their legitimacy is not always clear.
In these situations we need an independent and impartial regulator's opinion - in this case, The Care Quality Commission (CQC) for England and Wales, and The Care Inspectorate, for Scotland.
These two regulators ensure clinics are up to scratch, and send written reports to clinics with their findings, on how they can improve their service, and potential penalties, if they don't comply.
Treatment providers are graded against standardised performance measures like environment, care standards, and support provided to clients.
Clinic Inspections - What You Need to Know
When looking for CQC or Care Inspectorate reports, always look for those stating the visit was "Unannounced" instead of "Announced" - this means the provider was not aware the inspection was occurring, and hence is most likely to provide most insight into genuine standards of care.
Step 5 - Choose A Clinic
At this point, you've got enough info to decide on one of the clinics you've seen.
The clinic team will ask you to complete a telephone questionnaire, to make sure they can meet your needs.
A telephone assessment might last up to 30 minutes, after which the provider will likely request you to pay a deposit towards treatment, so that they can progress further with your admission.
Take the opportunity at this point to arrange payment via insurance policy, if applicable.
Step 6 - Arranging Payment
Most clinics will expect payment of a deposit, toward the full balance of treatment, prior to admitting.
Because the total booking value is high, even a small percentage deposit could work out anywhere from £2,000 - £4,000 for the higher end providers.
A few offer payment plans to help spread the cost of rehab, although nowadays this is less common.
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.
Balance To Pay
The provider will likely ask you to settle the remainder of the treatment balance due, after arrival at the clinic.
It's a good idea to pay this promptly, to avoid excess charges.
Step 7 - Admission Into Treatment
Did you get a booking confirmation, containing the practical details, like date and time you're due to arrive for treatment? If not, request one now.
Most clinics will expect you to pack these basics:
Rules re mobile phone and device usage varies from clinic to clinic - it's worth checking before you set off - how many devices are allowed, and what the internet usage policy is. Many clinics have a restricted use policy, to keep clients on track.
It's also worth ensuring travel arrangement ahead of schedule - as some providers with have surcharges for late arrival.
From this point on, your recovery journey has begun!
Are You Asking The Right Questions?
Thank you for reading the ultimate guide to finding the right rehab treatment for Broadstone.
Thanks so much for reading our buyer's guide.
Abbeycare have central UK locations, and serve the Broadstone area.
We've helped hundreds (thousands probably) move beyond addiction, and start a new life.
There's no substitute for the years of experience we've had, assisting with even the most complex cases.
Our team can even get transport organised too, if needed, from your location (with an extra charge).
You can read our inspection reports from regulatory bodies, on our clinic pages, for: Abbeycare Scotland, and 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.
Our clinic team are ready to help you make the progress you need.
Now....are you ready?
If you're ready for help, call our admissions team direct, on 01603 513 091.
