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.
If you're considering expensive rehab treatment - read our need-to-knows before taking the plunge.
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. But use your needs, and past experience, first and foremost, as your guide to what treatment will work best.
Detox-Only, Versus Full Rehabilitation 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?
- Have you tried treatment previously, without success? Or even, tried going it alone without professional help?
You could go for a detox-only programme, but run greater risk of future relapse if other supports are not in place.
Treatment Near Risca
Caught up in the need for detox, many will commit too early to a clinic as close as possible to home, without thinking ahead.
But the provider on your doorstep doesn't necessarily provide the best overall value, in the context of your entire recovery journey.
Detox can be found in many places, but a strong rehabilitation programme with excellent therapy can mean much greater progress in the long term. 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
The quality of support you receive from the clinic team, can make or break recovery results.
This can be especially important where you have complex drug or alcohol detox needs.
Specific detoxes that may need more specialist intervention include high dose methadone transfers, multi-substance detoxes, or cases with previous hospital admission for addiction.
Getting reassurance that the provider is not only ready to detox you based on your needs, but has done so many times for others in the past, is important.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Do you foresee any complications with my detox?
- Is dealing with someone with my intake level and addiction history, a normal everyday client for your clinic?
- My case is complex- what happens in the event of complications?
Step 2 - Behind The Scenes In An Addiction Treatment Clinic
How does admitting to rehab work?
Rehabilitation clinics operate a residential service - you stay residentially, in the clinic, 24hrs a day, usually with your own room and personal space.
Expect to complete a pre-admissions screening process over the phone - this is quite normal.
What Is A Care Plan?
Whilst all clinics operate a group environment generally, most should look to help you keep track of your progress, and monitor treatment goals reached.
If staff do not offer to help draw up a personalised care plan of action for your clinic time, and longer recovery journey, you've chosen the wrong provider.
This document will be used as your yardstick to measure progress and keep track. It's worth making the effort here.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Do you provide a written plan for me to follow, during treatment?
- How do I know if I'm on the right track, during treatment?
- Is care planning done for me, or is it collaborative?
- Is there a member of staff assigned to me personally?
Life Inside The Clinic
What Is Day To Day Life Like, In Treatment?
Without actually being in the clinic, the closest you can get is to ask questions about the daily experience of life in the clinic.
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 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.
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, detox will last much longer. Clinic staff understand this.
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?
- Can you send me an example of what the daily schedule is like, in the clinic?
- Can I arrange a visit to the clinic, to look around, without obligation, before committing?
- When would I be expected to move from detox into therapy in the clinic?
A Word About Covid-19
Since rehab treatment is usually a communal environment, you should expect to have to accommodate others on the journey.
Those in long term recovery achieved it, only by accepting help from others, and helping them, in return.
But making headway in your recovery, at the expense of other health factors, won't help anyone.
Step 3 - Planning The Financials Of Rehab
Whilst private clinics offer fast access to specialist help, financing the stay in treatment needs planning.
Third sector organisations providing full stack care (detox, therapy, aftercare) under one roof are few and far between, but worth investigating in your area.
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.
Use this step to get a clear idea of what rough budget you can commit to treatment, ringing round a few providers for initial pricing if needed.
Other Ways To Get Help
Local Mutual Aid 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.
For most at the start of the recovery journey though, detox options are a very real need, and not something that can be obtained without more specialist help.
Thousands benefit from local community groups every week. But starting out - you'll need more specialist help for 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.
Hospital or clinic based detox places strain on resources and funding, and is usually only available for extreme 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
Assessing a provider's standard of care is important - but can be tricky for the layman.
Arm yourself from the outset, with the *only* truly impartial consumer report available for private clinics - the Care Quality Commission (England & Wales) and/or Care Inspectorate (Scotland) inspection reports.
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.
Clinic Inspections - What You Need to Know
When looking for CQC or Care Inspectorate reports, always look for those stating the visit was "Unannounced" instead of "Announced" - this means the provider was not aware the inspection was occurring, and hence is most likely to provide most insight into genuine standards of care.
Step 5 - Finalise The Details
It's now time to decide on one of the clinics you've looked at.
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.
After the assessment is complete, the clinic will start making preparations for your stay - to do this, they'll need some commitment from you, in the form of a deposit payment - this holds the room in your name, and allows the team to start making arrangements.
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 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.
It's less common nowadays to see treatment clinics themselves offering payment plan options.
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 provider will likely ask you to settle the remainder of the treatment balance due, after arrival at the clinic.
To avoid excess charges later, it's best to settle this on time.
Step 7 - Admission
By now, you should have an agreed time and date of arrival at a clinic.
Bring along a few supplies with you, like those below. You should be able to arrange for anything else, after arrival.
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.
From this point on, your recovery journey has begun!
Are You Asking The Right Questions?
Thanks for reading our guide.
You've completed our guide on finding the right rehab near Risca!
Abbeycare operate UK clinics providing help for alcohol or drug addiction for those in the Risca 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).
Check our independent inspection reports, available on our clinic pages for Scotland, and Abbeycare Gloucester.
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 therapeutic team can help you identify the issues behind addiction, and stop the pattern in your life.
Our clinic team - many of them in recovery personally - are ready to get you started.
Are you ready for recovery?
Ready to get started? All calls are confidential. Ring direct on 01603 513 091.
