Do you or a loved one need addiction treatment for alcohol or drugs? It's easy to sign up too quickly for treatment, without a proper understanding what to look for.
Before taking the plunge, here's everything you need to know when shopping around for addiction help in Pencoed.
Step 1 - Understand What You Need
At the bottom of another binge it can feel all too easy to quickly commit to the nearest clinic offering a fast detox. Get off to the right start by deciding first what you need - detox, rehab, or both?
Detox & Rehab: Short Term .v. Long Term
Some providers can try to sell Rehab, and even Aftercare, upfront, before you've even started treatment, but do you really need all these?
- Have you been detoxed before? It's important to be clear on this.
Be honest with yourself here, as going the detox-only route initially, when underlying work is truly needed, often ends in paying for treatment twice, not once.
Rehab In The Right Place
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.
Make comparisons instead, against level of care, support, and independent reviews from The Care Quality Commission (England & Wales) or The Care Inspectorate (Scotland).
Therapy levels vary wildly from clinic to clinic, and therapist to therapist. What feedback do you have on the clinic you plan to attend? We're getting to the real questions here about standard of care delivered, instead of just the bare minimum.
More Than One Previous Detox?
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.
Most clinics have standardised approaches for routine detoxes for alcohol etc, but anything more complex will need specialist input from suitably qualified professionals.
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 professionals in the clinic are admininstering detox?
- My case is complex- what happens in the event of complications?
Step 2 - How Does Rehab Work?
What is day to day addiction treatment inside the clinic actually like?
You'll stay full time in a clinic, normally with a dedicated room and your own space, complete detox, and attend therapeutic sessions several times a week. Towards the end of your stay, the clinic should set up supports for the future. More about that later.
Before admission, you should expect to complete an initial assessment over the phone with admissions staff, whose job it is to co-ordinate the information you provide with specialists inside the clinic, and ensure their facility can meet your needs.
Keeping Track Of Getting Better
Clients are normally encouraged to actively monitor their progress towards recovery treatment goals and outcomes.
This means a 'care plan' is drawn up, and agreed by you and your assigned care manager.
This document will be used as your yardstick to measure progress and keep track. Don't miss this bit out.
KEY QUESTIONS
- What sort of care planning takes place when I enter the clinic?
- How do clinic staff know they're doing a good job at helping clients achieve recovery?
- Do you take account of my history of addiction when making treatment care plans?
- Is there continuity whilst in treatment, of who I deal with, each day?
What's Rehab Treatment Like, Day To Day?
What Is Day To Day Life Like, In Treatment?
The structure of each day will vary of course, from one provider to the next.
Every day new clients enter treatment and previous ones leave. Although everyone is at different stages of treatment, providers must keep everyone on track. This means preparing and issuing a daily agenda. This agenda is a good guide to what happens each day and what you'll be involved in.
The normal first stage of treatment is detox. 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. Others may take 7 days or longer. There is no fixed timescale for each individual.
Also, make sure to ask to arrange a visit to look around the clinic, first.
KEY QUESTIONS
- How can I see what's inside the clinic, online?
- Can you send me an example of what the daily schedule is like, in the clinic?
- Is it possible to arrange a pre-admission visit, to look around? Is there any charge attached?
- When do you expect me to start taking part in the therapy process?
Does Covid-19 Affect My Rehab Treatment?
Rehab is almost always a group exercise, even at higher end clinics.
Gains achieved during treatment can be amplified by the help of the peer group around you.
But making headway in your recovery, at the expense of other health factors, won't help anyone.
Step 3 - Managing The Budget For Treatment
Whilst private clinics offer fast access to specialist help, financing the stay in treatment needs planning.
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.
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, seeking out non-brand name providers, who spend less on business and more on care levels, can pay off.
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.
Alternative Options
AA/NA/GA Meetings
Most locations hold local Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings which can assist in the mutual aid and social elements of recovery.
Sadly, community aids like this are unable to help with the most acute phase, needed at the start of recovery - detox.
Local mutual aid meetings *can* be a huge help, and can be a source of potential sponsors and sober mentors for the future. But initially, it's important to get professional help to detox safely, and comfortably.
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
Reviews of your chosen provider are easy to find on the net, but are they real?
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 regulatory bodies inspect rehab clinics on a regular basis (usually annually) and produce written reports on their findings.
Clinics are graded across multiple areas of care, including support standards, management, and clinical environment.
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.
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
As mentioned, paying a deposit secures your room in the clinic, prior to arrival.
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.
It's less common nowadays to see treatment clinics themselves offering payment plan options.
Make sure to get an email confirmation of deposit paid, and confirmation of what happens next.
The Remaining Funding
The provider will likely ask you to settle the remainder of the treatment balance due, after arrival at the clinic.
It's a good idea to pay this promptly, to avoid excess charges.
Step 7 - Admitting To A Clinic
Did you get a booking confirmation, containing the practical details, like date and time you're due to arrive for treatment? If not, request one now.
You'll usually be asked to bring certain essentials with you:
It's worth checking usage policies re internet and wifi, and devices, as you may be disappointed if the clinic you've chosen asks you to hand them in, before your stay begins, without prior warning.
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.
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Thanks for reading our ultimate guide to finding treatment help in Pencoed.
Abbeycare have central UK locations, and serve the Pencoed area.
Thousands have already joined Abbeycare to overcome addiction, from every corner of the globe.
All that experience has helped us assist those with even the most complicated detox and rehab needs.
Even if you're not local, we can still help with transport into treatment (full transparency - some costs do apply).
Our clinic inspection reports are available on the relevent service pages: Abbeycare Scotland, Abbeycare Hygrove.
Abbeycare admissions team can advise on options that suit your needs.
Our medical team are ready to help you detox, comfortably.
Our therapists are ready to help you get the insights you need, to stop the pattern of addiction, and reclaim your life.
Our clinic team are ready to help you get started.
Are you ready for recovery?
If you're ready for help, call our admissions team direct, on 01603 513 091.
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