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 sign up too quickly for treatment, without a proper understanding what to look for.
We've compiled this need-to-know guide, including questions to ask each clinic *before* you pay - including a printable cheatsheet.
Step 1 - What Do You Want From Rehab?
Having gone through months (years?) of denial, when we're ready for treatment, it's easy to rush ahead into the first detox provider you call. But, choosing the wrong provider early on, might mean drawing the wrong conclusions about recovery, and what's possible for your future.
Detox Only, Or A Complete Recovery Programme?
A stay for alcohol or drug rehab normally follows the sequence Detox > Rehab > Aftercare, but do you need all three?
- Do you need detox, or rehab? (Be truthful).
Opting for the full package will provide more support, but think about if it's necessary.
Treatment Near Cathays
Thinking of treatment nearby? It's a natural response when feeling low.
Looking farther afield can potentially mean finding a higher standard of care, for less cost.
Detox beds can be found in hospitals, and virtually any clinic. But does their long term support match your needs in the longer term? It pays to shop around here.
See all the locations Abbeycare serve, here.
More Than One Previous Detox?
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.
If you've been detoxed in the past, and are looking for recovery afresh, it's a good idea to check on exactly what detox you'll get.
The clinic team over the phone should be able to give a rough indication of how they'll approach your treatment.
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
- Do you foresee any complications with my detox?
- What addiction experience do your prescribing professionals have?
- Will I be able to speak with someone who decides about my detox regimen, once admitted to the clinic?
Step 2 - What Happens In Rehab?
What should I expect, inside an addiction clinic?
For in-patient treatment stays, you'll have your own room in the clinic, where you stay, live and sleep, for anywhere from 7-84 days or more (28 days is the average stay).
The clinic you enquire with, have to make sure they can look after you and your needs for detox and rehab. They'll ask some standard questions about your usage, and history with addiction. This is normal, and it's important for them to rule out extreme cases where their environment may not be safe, or provide a comfortable detox experience.
How Do I Monitor Progress?
Whilst all clinics operate a group environment generally, most should look to help you keep track of your progress, and monitor treatment goals reached.
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.
This is your opportunity to make sure your key sticking points, triggers, and recurring issues, are factored in, and will get appropriate attention during your stay. Any input at this stage will likely pay dividends later.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Do I get an individualised care plan that I have input into?
- How do I make sure I stay on track during treatment?
- What will my care plan include?
- Is there a member of staff assigned to me personally?
A Day In The Life
What is it like being in a rehab clinic?
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 will give a clear indication of what activities happen when, where, and what's expected of you.
Detox from alcohol or substance misuse in a clinic can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on multiple factors. Some will be ready to start therapeutic work after just a few days. Others may take much longer than this to progress. This variation is natural.
Arranging a visit to the clinic, before committing any funding, can help reassure you of standards of care, and avoid a costly mistake. Ask about this.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Can I see a virtual tour of the clinic, before committing?
- Can you send me an example of what the daily schedule is like, in the clinic?
- How do I get reassurance about the look and feel of the clinic, prior to arranging admission?
- Based on my information, how quickly would you want me to start taking part in the therapy schedule, following detox?
How Does Covid-19 Affect Rehab Centres?
They say, that rehab and recovery are team sports.
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.
But making headway in your recovery, at the expense of other health factors, won't help anyone.
Step 3 - Set A Budget
Naturally, funding private rehab treatment in Cathays is a concern for many.
There are few half way house providers that exist generally, between public providers, and private treatment, so get clear from the start on which you need.
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.
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.
Thousands benefit from local community groups every week. But at the early stages, it's important to get safe and comfortable professional help to detox.
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.
This is not a question of lack of intention to help, but more of resources and strain the healthcare system experiences, under heavy demand.
Where no public healthcare short term options are viable, or where the individual doesn't have enough funding in place for treatment, we often see families and friends pooling together to finance detox for a loved one.
Step 4 - Get Independent Reviews
Assessing a provider's standard of care is important - but can be tricky for the layman.
Arm yourself from the outset, with the *only* truly impartial consumer report available for private clinics - the Care Quality Commission (England & Wales) and/or Care Inspectorate (Scotland) inspection reports.
These regulatory bodies complete inspections to ensure a minimum level of service is met.
Clinics are graded across multiple areas of care, including support standards, management, and clinical environment.
How Clinic Inspections Work
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 - Decide On A Provider
At this point, you've got enough info to decide on one of the clinics you've seen.
It's not uncommon at this point, for the provider to take you a through a number of pre-admission questions, as they have to ensure your suitable for the clinic and its environment.
When the assessment is complete, you'll likely be asked to pay a deposit, to book a place in the clinic, and allow the provider to start preparing for your arrival.
Take the opportunity at this point to arrange payment via insurance policy, if applicable.
Step 6 - Financing Treatment
Most clinics will expect payment of a deposit, toward the full balance of treatment, prior to admitting.
Depending on total costs, your deposit could be anywhere from £500 - £3,000 or more.
The days of clinics offering finance facilities directly, are mostly gone, although a few do still offer in-house plans to pay for treatment.
You should expect some kind of booking confirmation from the provider, usually by email, after any deposit or balance payment is made.
Paying For The Rest Of Treatment
Clinics will normally expect payment of the remaining balance of treatment, upon arrival and admission to the clinic, so be prepared to make a payment at this time.
Interest on late payment for a significant sum like this can be significant, so it's worth getting this done on time.
Step 7 - Admission Into Treatment
By now, you should have an agreed time and date of arrival at a clinic.
You'll need to bring a few basic necessities with you:
Check your booking confirmation for advice about mobile phone usage, internet access, visits, leisure facilities, and any special arrangements for covid-19.
It's also worth ensuring travel arrangement ahead of schedule - as some providers with have surcharges for late arrival.
Now, enjoy your recovery!
Easy Rehab Q&A Cheatsheet
You've reached the end of our ultimate guide on finding the right rehab!
Thanks for reading our ultimate guide to finding treatment help in Cathays.
Abbeycare have central UK locations, and serve the Cathays area.
We've worked with thousands from all over the world, and we can probably help you too.
All these years we've stuck to the basics that work - structured detox, therapy, and aftercare solutions that help get folks back on track.
Even if you're not local, we can still help with transport into treatment (full transparency - some costs do apply).
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.
Detox is possible, safely and comfortably, with the help of our medical team.
The Abbeycare therapy team are specialists in helping you identify and work through the underlying triggers behind addiction.
Our clinic team are ready to help you get started.
The only thing left is - are you ready?
We'll help get things moving. Ring us direct, on 01603 513 091.
