New to addiction treatment? Clinic programmes and options for private addiction help can be confusing. Many aren't aware of the right questions to ask, and how to compare more than one centre.
Our comprehensive guide will walk you through finding the right help, at the right price. In a hurry? Download our printable Q&A guide to have handy when you speak with providers.
Step 1 - Get Clear On Your Needs
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. Get off to the right start by deciding first what you need - detox, rehab, or both?
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?
- Do you need all three stages of treatment, detox > rehab > aftercare? Think about this carefully.
Opting for the full package will provide more support, but think about if it's necessary.
Finding Rehab Near Fairwater
Understandably, when feeling low and needing detox, most will opt for a clinic close to where they live.
Make comparisons instead, against level of care, support, and independent reviews from The Care Quality Commission (England & Wales) or The Care Inspectorate (Scotland).
Most clinics provide standard detox protocols and some form of therapy. But will they still be supporting you after you leave the clinic? Asking a few basics like these upfront can save a lot of headache later.
See all the locations Abbeycare serve, here.
Complex Detox Requirements
The quality of support you receive from the clinic team, can make or break recovery results.
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.
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
- Can you easily accommodate my detox needs?
- Is dealing with someone with my intake level and addiction history, a normal everyday client for your clinic?
- Are there suitable staff in the clinic who are equipped to handle detox complications?
Step 2 - What Happens In Rehab?
Tell me about how treatment works.
Rehabilitation clinics operate a residential service - you stay residentially, in the clinic, 24hrs a day, usually with your own room and personal space.
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.
The Plan For Treatment
Reputable clinics will try to personalise the care you receive, as far as possible.
A care plan, lays out in detail, how your stay will proceed, what targets you have for treatment, and how you'll measure them. Clinic addiction specialists (ideally assigned only to you) should help you prepare this and use it as a tool throughout your stay.
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. Make sure to take an active part in this stage.
KEY QUESTIONS
- What sort of care planning takes place when I enter the clinic?
- How do you help clients measure goals and progress?
- Does care planning account for my detox needs, therapy needs, or both?
- Am I passed from one staff member to another, as shifts change?
A Day In The Life
What is it like being in a rehab clinic?
It can be tricky to discern exactly what happens each day in treatment, as the routine can vary.
Clinic operators must keep an entire group of clients on track every day. This can only be achieved when everyone works from the same daily schedule. This lays out the timetable of events, and what's expected.
The normal first stage of treatment is detox. Getting clear of the physical effects of alcohol or substance misuse in detox could take 3-6 days, for lighter use cases. Sometimes, detox will last much longer. This is normal.
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
- Can I see a virtual tour of the clinic, before committing?
- 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?
- When do you expect me to start taking part in the therapy process?
A Word About Covid-19
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 doing so safely, in the age of Covid-19, means ensuring the clinic you choose has provisions in place to guard against risk of infection.
Step 3 - Managing The Budget For Treatment
Getting funds together for rehab in Fairwater takes planning, for most families.
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.
Automatically choosing the lowest price provider can lead to poor care levels inside the clinic, detrimental to your recovery progress.
Working with minimalist care, in a clinic with spartan conditions is not conducive to personal breakthroughs. Instead, look for alternative providers with smaller programmes, headcount, and overheads, to strike the right balance.
Without committing yet, get in touch with at least 3 potential treatment centres and ask about costs and your needs. You'll also get some insight here as to how much attention each provider pays and their levels of care.
Other Avenues For Help
AA/NA/GA Meetings
Most cities and towns across the world play host to mutual aid style meetings locally, like the 12 step driven groups of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.
If you're just starting out in recovery though, detoxing comfortably first, will undoubtedly be the priority.
AA, NA, and the big book groups have millions of followers and attendees, and have been very successful over the years. But for short term help for detox, you'll need professional assistance.
NHS Assistance
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.
Families and friends often agree to jointly finance private treatment, in cases where no publicly funded options are available.
Step 4 - Find Objective Reviews
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.
The CQC and The Care Inspectorate are the industry regulators, and complete routine inspections of private rehabs, which are often classified under the 'Care Homes' category, in their records.
Service providers receive a full report on the watchdog's findings.
Regulatory Inspections - Keynotes
On paper, a visit by regulators to a clinic can be "Announced", or "Unannounced" - the former means the clinic knew about the inspection in advance, the latter means they didn't. Hence, "Unannounced" inspection reports are more likely to provide a real-world picture of clinic conditions and service levels.
Step 5 - Choose A Clinic
It's now time to decide on one of the clinics you've looked at.
Normally, the provider will take you through a few initial questions, when you call, to make sure you're a good fit, and will work well together.
An assessment shouldn’t normally take more than 20 minutes, after which you can pay any required financial deposit over the phone and expect some form of booking confirmation and receipt of payment.
Take the opportunity at this point to arrange payment via insurance policy, if applicable.
Step 6 - Deposits & Paying For Treatment
As mentioned, an initial deposit payment is usually expected.
The deposit could be anywhere from £500 - £3,000, depending on specifics. Most clinics accept payment over the phone by card.
Not many clinics remain, who offer finance payment plans, directly.
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.
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.
It's a good idea to pay this promptly, to avoid excess charges.
Step 7 - Get Started
By now, you should have an agreed time and date of arrival at a clinic.
Pack enough essentials for your treatment duration, like:
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.
Treatment centres must co-ordinate their clinical and medical teams availability for your arrival - so being on time matters. Try to arrange your transport to the clinic, ahead of time, to make sure things run smoothly.
Take a well-deserved rest, as the road to recovery opens up before you.
The Top Questions To Ask
Thank you for reading the ultimate guide to finding the right rehab treatment for Fairwater.
Thanks for reading our ultimate guide to finding treatment help in Fairwater.
Help for addiction is available at Abbeycare's UK clinics.
We've helped thousands overcome their addiction to alcohol or drugs.
In our 15 years, we've worked with even the most complex detoxes, needs, and issues.
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 Gloucester.
Abbeycare admissions team can advise on options that suit your needs.
Our medical team can assist you to detox, safely, and comfortably.
Our therapy team are available, to help you identify triggers, patterns, and start truly overcoming them.
The Abbeycare clinic team are ready to help you co-ordinate everything.
Now....are you ready?
To get your questions answered, or to get started in recovery, our team can help, on 01603 513 091.
