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.
Our guide includes advice on how to weigh providers against each other, and a printable Q&A for when you speak with treatment clinics direct. Let's get started.
Step 1 - Detox .v. Rehab
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, Rehab, Or Both?
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.
- Have you tried treatment previously, without success? Or even, tried going it alone without professional help? It's important to be clear on this.
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.
Location, Location, Location?
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.
Most clinics provide standard detox protocols and some form of therapy. But will they still be supporting you after you leave the clinic? Researching the most appropriate option for you personally, can yield big long term results in your sobriety, later.
More Than One Previous Detox?
You should know: your progress in treatment can depend heavily on the strength of the clinic staff around you, and the support of your peers.
You'll want a clear idea here of what detox protocol you're getting, and what help is available during it.
While an admissions team or sales team can give an indication of likely detox methods, this is of course finalised and decided upon by the supervising medical professionals present.
Ask if the clinic you're dealing with has specialist professionals who've delivered your detox in the past, and with what results.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Can you easily accommodate my detox needs?
- What professionals in the clinic are admininstering detox?
- If there are unexpected issues during my detox, what happens?
Step 2 - Understand How Rehab Works
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 provider you're working with should ask you some questions over the phone to make sure you're a good match - it's important to give honest answers, to avoid complications later.
Mapping Out Needs And Treatment Goals
If your clinic provides strong personal attention in the programme, they should help you map out what you want from treatment, exactly.
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. This part is important and can determine your progress later, so don't skip it.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Is the care planning the same for every client, or is it personalised to me?
- How do you help clients measure goals and progress?
- What will my care plan include?
- Am I passed from one staff member to another, as shifts change?
What Do I Do In The Clinic, Each Day?
Tell me about the daily routine in treatment?
Short of actually admitting to treatment, we need to ask questions here that let us know what we should expect to see, hear, and feel, once admitted to a clinic.
Since residential rehab is a group environment, most clinics provide each client with a daily agenda, every night for the following day. 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 duration of detox each individual needs, will vary, based on multiple factors, including frequency and recency of usage, history of addiction, previous detoxes, etc. Some will be ready to start therapeutic work after just a few days. Sometimes, detox will last much longer. This is 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
- 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?
- Can I arrange a visit to the clinic, to look around, without obligation, before committing?
- Based on my information, how quickly would you want me to start taking part in the therapy schedule, following detox?
Does Covid-19 Affect My Rehab Treatment?
Few people successfully make it into long term recovery without the help of the bigger group around them.
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
Decide firstly, are you going down the public or private route?
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.
If you're tempted to opt for the cheapest clinic straight away, think twice.
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.
Alternative Options
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.
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
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.
This is not a question of lack of intention to help, but more of resources and strain the healthcare system experiences, under heavy demand.
More often, where a genuine need for short term detox exists, it's more common to see loved ones and family pulling funds together to help someone get help.
Step 4 - Read The Only Impartial Reports
Reviews of your chosen provider are easy to find on the net, but are they real?
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.
This includes feedback on staffing, care and support levels, management, and environment.
How Clinic Inspections Work
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 - Decide On A Provider
With the homework all done, it's time to get serious about arranging treatment at one of the providers you've shortlisted.
When you call the admissions team for the clinic you’ve chosen, expect to go through an initial telephone assessment, and pay a deposit towards treatment, as explained above.
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.
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 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.
You should expect some kind of booking confirmation from the provider, usually by email, after any deposit or balance payment is made.
Outstanding 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.
It's a good idea to pay this promptly, to avoid excess charges.
Step 7 - Admit to treatment
Now it's time for the practical stuff of admitting. Double check you have a note of your confirmed date and time your due to admit to the clinic.
Most clinics will expect you to pack these basics:
Check your booking confirmation for advice about mobile phone usage, internet access, visits, leisure facilities, and any special arrangements for covid-19.
Do you have transport to the clinic organised? Making sure of this will help avoid any potential extra charges levied for late arrival.
Now, enjoy your recovery!
Asking The Right Questions
Thank you for reading the ultimate guide to finding the right rehab treatment for Denbigh.
Our printable cheatsheet lays out the exact questions to ask, in a printable PDF format.
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 Denbigh area.
Since 2005, we've been helping thousands to overcome addiction, comfortably, and safely.
All that experience has helped us assist those with even the most complicated detox and rehab needs.
Not nearby? No problem, we can arrange transport too, in many cases.
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.
Our medical team can assist you to detox, safely, and comfortably.
Our addiction specialist therapists can help you overcome the underlying issues of addiction.
Our clinic team - many of them in recovery personally - are ready to get you started.
The only question is - are you ready?
Ready to get started? All calls are confidential. Ring direct on 01603 513 091.
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