For most, finding the right help for alcohol or drug issues in Rhondda, is confusing and difficult. Choosing the wrong provider can mean serious consequences for future sobriety, relationships, and family life.
If you're considering expensive rehab treatment - read our need-to-knows before taking the plunge.
Step 1 - What Do You Need?
When you or a loved one are finally ready for help, it can be tempting to pick up the phone and sign up for the first rehab clinic you can find. But spending just a little time getting clear on what you truly need, can save a costly mistake.
Detox & Rehab: Short Term .v. Long Term
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? Think about this carefully.
You could go for a detox-only programme, but run greater risk of future relapse if other supports are not in place.
Clinic 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.
But the provider on your doorstep doesn't necessarily provide the best overall value, in the context of your entire recovery journey.
Most clinics provide standard detox protocols and some form of therapy. But will they still be supporting you after you leave the clinic? We're getting to the real questions here about standard of care delivered, instead of just the bare minimum.
Previous/Complex Detoxes
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.
Specific detoxes that may need more specialist intervention include high dose methadone transfers, multi-substance detoxes, or cases with previous hospital admission for addiction.
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
- In your experience, would someone with my detox needs be better suited for hospital detox?
- Do you have specialist addiction medics prescribing detox?
- Are there suitable staff in the clinic who are equipped to handle detox 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.
Expect to complete a pre-admissions screening process over the phone - this is quite normal.
What Is A Care Plan?
After admission to a clinic, staff will usually look to plan out your care in the clinic, and how that will work, for you personally.
Most providers, at the start of your stay, will help you visualise personal goals and progress targets, in a specifically designed care plan.
Whilst not the most exciting part of the journey, this is a necessary means to help you monitor progress toward your long term vision. Don't miss this bit out.
KEY QUESTIONS
- To what extent is my care and management planned and mapped out?
- 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?
- Am I passed from one staff member to another, as shifts change?
What Do I Do In The Clinic, Each Day?
What's the daily routine, inside a rehab, during treatment?
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. The agenda lets you know what's happening when, and what activities you should participate in.
The time it takes to feel better at the initial stages of treatment is personal to each individual. Depending on usage levels, many will be able to progress to the next stage of treatment after just a few days. Other times, it takes longer for the body to process the left-over substances. This is normal.
Always enquire about having a look around the clinic, by visiting first, before committing. Most clinics don't have an open-door policy, but will happily let you see inside, by arrangement.
KEY QUESTIONS
- How can I see what's inside the clinic, online?
- Give me an idea of how each day is structured, whilst in treatment?
- Is it possible to arrange a pre-admission visit, to look around? Is there any charge attached?
- Based on my information, how quickly would you want me to start taking part in the therapy schedule, following detox?
Rehab & Covid-19
Rehab is almost always a group exercise, even at higher end clinics.
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 - Rehab On A Budget
Naturally, funding private rehab treatment in Rhondda is a concern for many.
Public services are accountable to the tax payer, and seldom offer more specialist interventions.
Like most things in life, it's tempting to go for simply the cheapest cost provider.
Instead, seeking out non-brand name providers, who spend less on business and more on care levels, can pay off.
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.
Other Ways To Get Help
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.
However, specialist medical help will be required to kick start the journey with detox, which cannot be obtained via such community groups.
Community support is invaluable, at the right stage in the process. But for short term help for detox, you'll need professional assistance.
NHS Addiction Options
Obtaining short-term detox from NHS services is unlikely, due to demand on resources.
At best, only the most extreme or chronic cases are normally considered for hospital detox or residential clinics.
In reality, where the need for detox is urgent, we often see families and groups of friends pooling funds together, to help a loved one access treatment faster, from a private provider.
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.
Inspectors from these organisations visit private clinics nationwide, and check they comply with minimum standards of care, producing reports which they publish on the world wide web.
This includes feedback on staffing, care and support levels, management, and environment.
Clinic Inspections - What You Need to Know
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 - Arrange Admission
Now is the time to come to a decision about where you're completing treatment.
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.
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
Most clinics will expect payment of a deposit, toward the full balance of treatment, prior to admitting.
Expect to pay anywhere from £1,800 to £4,000 to book a place in a treatment provider's clinic.
It's less common nowadays to see treatment clinics themselves offering payment plan options.
Ask for an email confirmation of booking, and get clarity on when the admission details will be finalised, and your date of admission confirmed.
Outstanding 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 - Admission
If you don't already have it, contact the admissions team and confirm your date and time of arrival.
Bring along a few supplies with you, like those below. You should be able to arrange for anything else, after arrival.
Check your booking confirmation for advice about mobile phone usage, internet access, visits, leisure facilities, and any special arrangements for covid-19.
Most clinics have a busy schedule and making sure you arrive on time is important. Getting your means of transport to the clinic organised ahead of time, will ensure things are effortless, on the day.
And of course, enjoy your recovery!
Easy Rehab Q&A Cheatsheet
Thank you for reading the ultimate guide to finding the right rehab treatment for Rhondda.
We put together a list of all the right questions to ask a clinic, in a fill-in-the-blanks cheatsheet format.
Download it on our main guide page here (direct download - no sign up required). You can download it here.
Thanks so much for reading our buyer's guide.
Abbeycare operate UK clinics providing help for alcohol or drug addiction for those in the Rhondda area.
We've worked with thousands from all over the world, and we can probably help you too.
In these last 15 years, our experience has gone from strength to strength.
Our team can even get transport organised too, if needed, from your location (with an extra charge).
Check our independent inspection reports, available on our clinic pages for Scotland, and The 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.
Our clinic team - many of them in recovery personally - are ready to get you started.
The only thing left is - are you ready?
To get your questions answered, or to get started in recovery, our team can help, on 01603 513 091.
Nearby: