New to addiction treatment? Clinic programmes and options for private addiction help can be confusing. It's easy to end up paying too much for a treatment clinic that underdelivers.
If you're considering expensive rehab treatment - read our need-to-knows before taking the plunge.
Step 1 - Get Clear On Your Needs
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 spending just a little time getting clear on what you truly need, can save a costly mistake.
Detox & Rehab: Short Term .v. Long Term
Addiction treatment for alcohol or drugs usually starts with a detox, then therapy (rehab), followed by aftercare. But which of these is right for you?
- Do you need all three stages of treatment, detox > rehab > aftercare? (Be truthful).
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.
Finding Rehab Near Caernarfon
Amongst the concerns we hear each day, the location of the clinic is one of the most common. But sometimes, you can be too close to home.
Looking farther afield can potentially mean finding a higher standard of care, for less cost.
Therapy levels vary wildly from clinic to clinic, and therapist to therapist. What feedback do you have on the clinic you plan to attend? Researching the most appropriate option for you personally, can yield big long term results in your sobriety, later.
See all the locations Abbeycare serve, here.
Multi-Substance Detox, Or Previous Attempts At Rehab
Making sure you're getting the right support, can have a serious impact on long term results.
Multiple previous detoxes, or challenging liver issues, should mean you're extra careful that the clinic can accommodate your needs, both safely, and comfortably.
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.
Ask around to find a clinic with professionals who have experience in detoxing your substance type specifically, e.g. a high dose methadone detox is complex, and should be undertaken only by professionals with substantial experience.
KEY QUESTIONS
- How long should detox take, for me?
- What experience do you have in administering detox for individuals with my specific intake and frequency?
- My case is complex- what happens in the event of complications?
Step 2 - Get The Low Down On What Happens Inside The Clinic
Tell me about how treatment works.
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.
Before admission, you should expect to complete an initial assessment over the phone with admissions staff, whose job it is to co-ordinate the information you provide with specialists inside the clinic, and ensure their facility can meet your needs.
Mapping Out Needs And Treatment Goals
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.
Whilst not the most exciting part of the journey, this is a necessary means to help you monitor progress toward your long term vision. This part is important and can determine your progress later, so don't skip it.
KEY QUESTIONS
- To what extent is my care and management planned and mapped out?
- How do I know if I'm on the right track, during treatment?
- Does care planning account for my detox needs, therapy needs, or both?
- Am I passed from one staff member to another, as shifts change?
Life Inside The Clinic
Tell me about the daily routine in treatment?
Asking some key questions before admitting to a clinic can help you get a sense for what life is like in treatment, before committing.
In treatment, you should receive some form of agenda for each day of the week. This agenda is a good guide to what happens each day and what you'll be involved in.
Detox from alcohol or substance misuse in a clinic can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on multiple factors. Detox could last just a few days. Sometimes it will take longer than this to get a clear head again. This level of variance between individuals is very normal.
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
- How can I see what's inside the clinic, online?
- Do I take part in daily activities even during detox?
- Can I arrange a visit to the clinic, to look around, without obligation, before committing?
- When would I be expected to move from detox into therapy in the clinic?
Addiction Treatment & Covid-19
Since rehab treatment is usually a communal environment, you should expect to have to accommodate others on the journey.
Only with the support of others on the journey, can we hope to make a full recovery.
But recovery gains can only be made safely, with consideration to other health factors, in the bigger picture.
Step 3 - Managing The Budget For Treatment
Naturally, funding private rehab treatment in Caernarfon 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.
Automatically choosing the lowest price provider can lead to poor care levels inside the clinic, detrimental to your recovery progress.
Cheap providers often involve minimal rooms or living conditions, and poor therapy. Look instead for smaller providers, with more personal attention.
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.
Options Beyond Rehab
Support In The Community
Most locations hold local Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings which can assist in the mutual aid and social elements of recovery.
Whilst mutual aid plays a big part for many, later in their recovery journey, those at the start will need professional help to detox safely.
AA, NA, and the big book groups have millions of followers and attendees, and have been very successful over the years. But initially, it's important to get professional help to detox safely, and comfortably.
NHS Assistance
Immediate help to detox from NHS services is usually not possible. It's more common to receive a referral to a local Drug/Alcohol support team, and begin weekly meetings with a keyworker.
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 - Get Independent Reviews
Assessing a provider's standard of care is important - but can be tricky for the layman.
The industry regulators - the Care Quality Commission in England & Wales, and the Care Inspectorate in Scotland, publish the only independent reporting on standards available, for private rehab clinics.
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.
Service providers receive a full report on the watchdog's findings.
Clinic Inspections - What You Need to Know
There are 2 types of clinic inspections you need to know about - "Unannounced" and "Announced". "Unannounced" means the inspection team arrived at the provider with no forewarning; "Announced" means the clinic were aware of the visit in advance; therefore, always seek out reports detailing "Unannounced" inspections, to get the clearest picture possible, of day-to-day standards, inside the clinic.
Step 5 - Complete The Initial Assessment
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.
Now is also the time to finalise any other arrangements re payment, like paying via insurance policy.
Step 6 - Paying For Rehab
As mentioned above, paying a deposit means the clinic can prepare for your arrival, and allocate your room booking.
Depending on total costs, your deposit could be anywhere from £500 - £3,000 or more.
It's less common nowadays to see treatment clinics themselves offering payment plan options.
An email confirmation of your booking is usually sent to you, confirming the next steps.
Paying For The Rest Of Treatment
The balance to pay for treatment, if not paying via insurance or a third party, is usually due when you arrive to admit to the clinic.
To avoid excess charges later, it's best to settle this on time.
Step 7 - Admission Into Treatment
Make note of the day and time you're due to admit to treatment.
You'll usually be asked to bring certain essentials with you:
Check your booking confirmation for advice about mobile phone usage, internet access, visits, leisure facilities, and any special arrangements for covid-19.
Make sure to finalise transport arrangements a few days in advance, to ensure you attend the clinic on time, and avoid any surcharges on delays on treatment.
From this point on, your recovery journey has begun!
Asking The Right Questions
Thanks so much for reading the ultimate guide on finding rehab treatment in Caernarfon.
You've completed our guide on finding the right rehab near Caernarfon!
Abbeycare's UK clinics have been helping those in Caernarfon.
We've helped thousands overcome their addiction to alcohol or drugs.
In these last 15 years, our experience has gone from strength to strength.
We can even arrange to assist with transport to the clinic (some extra charges do apply).
Check our independent inspection reports, available on our clinic pages for Scotland, and Abbeycare Gloucester.
Our admissions team are ready to listen to your needs.
The Abbeycare medical team can help you detox comfortably.
The Abbeycare therapy team are specialists in helping you identify and work through the underlying triggers behind addiction.
Our clinical team are ready to help you start the journey.
Are you ready for recovery?
Ready to get started? All calls are confidential. Ring direct on 01603 513 091.
