For most, finding the right help for alcohol or drug issues in Holyhead, is confusing and difficult. Many simply don't know how to compare treatment providers and end up settling for less.
If you're considering expensive rehab treatment - read our need-to-knows before taking the plunge.
Step 1 - Get Clear On Your Needs
There are a wealth of treatment options available for those fresh to the journey of recovery. But, choosing the wrong provider early on, might mean drawing the wrong conclusions about recovery, and what's possible for your future.
Detox, Rehab, Or Both?
A stay for alcohol or drug rehab normally follows the sequence Detox > Rehab > Aftercare, but do you need all three?
- Unsure if you need detox, rehab, aftercare, or all 3? Think about this carefully.
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.
Clinic Location
The convenience of a nearby clinic can seem appealing when feeling in need of detox.
Make comparisons instead, against level of care, support, and independent reviews from The Care Quality Commission (England & Wales) or The Care Inspectorate (Scotland).
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? Asking a few basics like these upfront can save a lot of headache later.
See all the locations Abbeycare serve, here.
Multi-Substance Detox, Or Previous Attempts At Rehab
Getting the right help means being picky about the support you'll receive while in treatment.
If you've had detoxes in the past, or complications like liver or other issues, you'll want to be extra careful here.
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
- Do you foresee any complications with my detox?
- What experience do you have in administering detox for individuals with my specific intake and frequency?
- If I have questions about my specific detox needs, who would I speak to?
Step 2 - The Rehab Need-To-Knows
What is the typical admission process?
Private rehab clinics are centres where all the normal addiction treatment options like detox, therapy, and relapse prevention, are provided in a private setting, all under one roof, with specialists in the field. With your own room, and seclusion away from the addiction triggers in normal life, you have a chance to truly recover.
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.
Keeping Track Of Getting Better
Reputable clinics will try to personalise the care you receive, as far as possible.
This means a 'care plan' is drawn up, and agreed by you and your assigned care manager.
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. This part is important and can determine your progress later, so don't skip it.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Do you provide a written plan for me to follow, during treatment?
- How do you help clients measure goals and progress?
- Is care planning done for me, or is it collaborative?
- How is my treatment regimen communicated between staff members?
What Do I Do In The Clinic, Each Day?
What Is Day To Day Life Like, In Treatment?
It can be tricky to discern exactly what happens each day in treatment, as the routine can vary.
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. Sometimes it will take longer than this to get a clear head again. This variation is natural.
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
- Do you have a virtual online tour I can take?
- Do I take part in daily activities even during detox?
- 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?
A Word About Covid-19
They say, that rehab and recovery are team sports.
Those in long term recovery achieved it, only by accepting help from others, and helping them, in return.
Making long term recovery gains today, means being careful to check on some basics re covid-19 preparedness and preventative measures.
Step 3 - What Budget Is Available For Treatment?
Naturally, funding private rehab treatment in Holyhead is a concern for many.
The differences between public and private options are vast.
If you're tempted to opt for the cheapest clinic straight away, think twice.
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.
Alternative Options
Community-Led Support Channels
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.
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 initially, it's important to get professional help to detox safely, and comfortably.
Community Healthcare Options
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.
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 - Find Objective Reviews
Reviews on websites are easy to pass off as genuine, but how do you really know they are?
In these situations we need an independent and impartial regulator's opinion - in this case, The Care Quality Commission (CQC) for England and Wales, and The Care Inspectorate, for Scotland.
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.
Treatment providers are graded against standardised performance measures like environment, care standards, and support provided to clients.
How Clinic Inspections Work
In some visits, the provider is made aware in advance, that the inspection is occuring - these are what's known as "Announced" inspections. Other times, inspection teams show up without warning - these are "Unannounced" inspections - therefore, to get the most reliable information, look for reports which state the inspection was Unannounced.
Step 5 - Complete The Initial Assessment
With the homework all done, it's time to get serious about arranging treatment at one of the providers you've shortlisted.
The clinic team will ask you to complete a telephone questionnaire, to make sure they can meet your needs.
You can normally complete the necessary steps over the phone in 20 minutes or less, and then make an initial deposit towards treatment, that's used to hold the room in your name, until you arrive at the clinic.
Any additional financial issues, such as paying via insurance policy, would normally also be sorted out at this stage.
Step 6 - Funding Your Stay
As mentioned above, paying a deposit means the clinic can prepare for your arrival, and allocate your room booking.
Expect to pay anywhere from £1,800 to £4,000 to book a place in a treatment provider's clinic.
A few offer payment plans to help spread the cost of rehab, although nowadays this is less common.
Make sure to get an email confirmation of deposit paid, and confirmation of what happens next.
Remaining Balance
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 - Get Started
Make note of the day and time you're due to admit to treatment.
Most clinics will expect you to pack these basics:
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.
It's also worth ensuring travel arrangement ahead of schedule - as some providers with have surcharges for late arrival.
At this point, congratulations! Your recovery journey has already begun.
Print Our Cheatsheet To Easily Compare Providers
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Help for addiction is available at Abbeycare's UK clinics.
Since 2005, we've been helping thousands to overcome addiction, comfortably, and safely.
In these last 15 years, our experience has gone from strength to strength.
Even if you need transport arranged to get here, we can probably help with that too.
Check our independent inspection reports, available on our clinic pages for Scotland, and Abbeycare Gloucester.
Our admissions team will help you navigate the treatment options.
Our medical team can assist you to detox, safely, and comfortably.
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?
We'll help get things moving. Ring us direct, on 01603 513 091.
