Private rehab treatment for alcohol or drug addiction can be expensive, and low-cost or free alternatives are seldom available. Thousands blindly walk into addiction treatment in expensive rehab centres and find that the reality doesn't meet expectations.
Our comprehensive guide includes guidance on how to compare providers when shopping around.
Step 1 - What Do You Need?
There are a wealth of treatment options available for those fresh to the journey of recovery. Get off to the right start by deciding first what you need - detox, rehab, or both?
Detox .v. Rehab
A normal stay for alcohol or drug treatment would include the three stages of detoxification, rehabilitation, and aftercare planning. But there's no point in spending more than you have to.
- Do you need all three stages of treatment, detox > rehab > aftercare? (Be truthful).
Opting for the full package will provide more support, but think about if it's necessary.
Clinic Location
Understandably, when feeling low and needing detox, most will opt for a clinic close to where they live.
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? We're getting to the real questions here about standard of care delivered, instead of just the bare minimum.
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.
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 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
- Do you foresee any complications with my detox?
- Do you have specialist addiction medics prescribing detox?
- My case is complex- what happens in the event of complications?
Step 2 - What Happens In Rehab?
How does admitting to rehab work?
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).
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.
The Plan For Treatment
Reputable clinics will try to personalise the care you receive, as far as possible.
Most providers, at the start of your stay, will help you visualise personal goals and progress targets, in a specifically designed care plan.
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. Don't miss this bit out.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Do I get an individualised care plan that I have input into?
- 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?
- Is there a member of staff assigned to me personally?
A Day In The Life
Tell me about the daily routine in treatment?
Without actually being in the clinic, the closest you can get is to ask questions about the daily experience of life in the clinic.
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.
The time it takes to feel better at the initial stages of treatment is personal to each individual. The pace of your treatment can vary. For example, for those with lighter intake levels, progression beyond the detox phase of clinic work can happen in just a few days. Sometimes it will take longer than this to get a clear head again. This variation is natural.
Visiting the clinic before committing to treatment will also help you gauge just what the everyday is like, inside a centre, before committing financially.
KEY QUESTIONS
- What see inside photos do you have, of the clinic, online?
- What is the daily agenda of activities inside the clinic, and how soon after detox will I be expected to take part?
- Is it possible to arrange a pre-admission visit, to look around? Is there any charge attached?
- How quickly after detoxing can I get started on the remainder of the programme elements?
Does Covid-19 Affect My Rehab Treatment?
Recovering from addiction is a group-oriented exercise.
Overcoming old patterns of self-isolation is normally a big part of getting better.
Achieving recovery in a covid-19 world, however, means making some accommodations along the way.
Step 3 - What Budget Is Available For Treatment?
Decide firstly, are you going down the public or private route?
The differences between public and private options are vast.
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.
By calling and comparing a few treatment providers against each other, this step should give you a sense of what rehab will cost.
Options Beyond Rehab
Mutual Aid Support
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.
If you're just starting out in recovery though, detoxing comfortably first, will undoubtedly be the priority.
Mutual aid meetings have earned their place in everyone's recovery. But the first stage of help - physically detoxing - will need more specialist care.
NHS/Public Funding Options
In the first instance, it's possible to present to your GP and discuss the possibility of referral to your local addictions team, in the NHS. They will usually help you monitor the effects of addiction in your life, but are unable to refer or provide funding for immediate detox, in most cases.
This is not a question of lack of intention to help, but more of resources and strain the healthcare system experiences, under heavy demand.
Aggregating funds together, between friends and family, can be a good approach to securing private treatment instead, where the individual can't finance it themselves.
Step 4 - Get Impartial Consumer Reports
Opinions on different clinics' standards of care are ten a penny on the internet, but how do you know who to trust?
Our heroes here are the industry watchdogs - The Care Commission, and The Care Inspectorate.
These regulatory bodies complete inspections to ensure a minimum level of service is met.
This includes feedback on staffing, care and support levels, management, and environment.
How Clinic Inspections Work
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
Now is the time to come to a decision about where you're completing treatment.
The clinic team will ask you to complete a telephone questionnaire, to make sure they can meet your needs.
After the assessment is complete, the clinic will start making preparations for your stay - to do this, they'll need some commitment from you, in the form of a deposit payment - this holds the room in your name, and allows the team to start making arrangements.
Any additional financial issues, such as paying via insurance policy, would normally also be sorted out at this stage.
Step 6 - Deposits & Paying For Treatment
As above, expect to pay a deposit prior to admission.
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.
You won't find many clinics offering payment options directly, unfortunately.
Make sure to get an email confirmation of deposit paid, and confirmation of what happens next.
Remaining Balance
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.
Interest on late payment for a significant sum like this can be significant, so it's worth getting this done on time.
Step 7 - Admit to 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:
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.
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.
Now, enjoy your recovery!
Are You Asking The Right Questions?
Thanks so much for reading the ultimate guide on finding rehab treatment in Cwmbrân.
Get access to our master list of questions to ask each provider, in an easy side-by-side checklist.
Download it on our main guide page here (direct download - no sign up required). You can download it here.
Abbeycare have provided this guide free of charge, to help you make the right decision when considering addiction rehab treatment options.
Abbeycare operate UK clinics providing help for alcohol or drug addiction for those in the Cwmbrân area.
We've helped thousands overcome their addiction to alcohol or drugs.
There's no substitute for the years of experience we've had, assisting with even the most complex cases.
We can even arrange to assist with transport to the clinic (some extra charges do apply).
How did we do with inspections from regulators? Check our reports, available on our clinic pages, here: Abbeycare Scotland, and Abbeycare Hygrove.
Abbeycare admissions team can advise on options that suit your needs.
Detox is available, with comfort and safety, with the help of our medical team.
Our therapists are ready to help you get the insights you need, to stop the pattern of addiction, and reclaim your life.
The Abbeycare clinic team are ready to help you co-ordinate everything.
The only thing left is - are you ready?
If you're ready for help, call our admissions team direct, on 01603 513 091.
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