For most, finding the right help for alcohol or drug issues in Skewen, is confusing and difficult. Many simply don't know how to compare treatment providers and end up settling for less.
Our guide includes advice on how to weigh providers against each other, and a printable Q&A for when you speak with treatment clinics direct. Let's get started.
Step 1 - What Do You Want From Rehab?
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, choosing the wrong provider early on, might mean drawing the wrong conclusions about recovery, and what's possible for your future.
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? (Be honest).
Opting for the full package will provide more support, but think about if it's necessary.
Finding Rehab Near Skewen
The convenience of a nearby clinic can seem appealing when feeling in need of detox.
But there's more to consider, in your long term sobriety journey, than the clinic next door.
Most clinics provide standard detox protocols and some form of therapy. But will they still be supporting you after you leave the clinic? Just a few minutes work here, can pay off down the line.
See all the locations Abbeycare serve, here.
A Past History Of Addiction
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.
Multiple previous detoxes, or challenging liver issues, should mean you're extra careful that the clinic can accommodate your needs, both safely, and comfortably.
Specific detoxes that may need more specialist intervention include high dose methadone transfers, multi-substance detoxes, or cases with previous hospital admission for addiction.
Likewise for therapeutic help, what specialist qualifications in addiction do the team have? Ask here about issues that have been sticking points for you in the past, and their suitability to help.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Are you a rehab clinic, or a hospital?
- Is dealing with someone with my intake level and addiction history, a normal everyday client for your clinic?
- Will I be able to speak with someone who decides about my detox regimen, once admitted to the clinic?
Step 2 - Understand How Rehab Works
Tell me about how treatment works.
Rehab clinics are not hospitals with shared wards - you'd normally have your own room in the clinic for the length of your stay. Some clinics also offer shared rooms - although this has become less common since the advent of coronavirus.
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.
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.
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. It's worth making the effort here.
KEY QUESTIONS
- What sort of care planning takes place when I enter the clinic?
- How do I know if I'm on the right track, during treatment?
- What will my care plan include?
- How is my treatment regimen communicated between staff members?
What Actually Happens Inside A Clinic?
What is it like being in a rehab clinic?
The structure of each day will vary of course, from one provider to the next.
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 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. Other times, it takes longer for the body to process the left-over substances. Clinic staff understand this.
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
- How can I see what's inside the clinic, online?
- Do you have sample daily agendas for treatment I can look at?
- How do I arrange to see inside the clinic, before admitting?
- When do you expect me to start taking part in the therapy process?
Addiction Treatment & Covid-19
Few people successfully make it into long term recovery without the help of the bigger group around them.
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 - Managing The Budget For Treatment
Naturally, funding private rehab treatment in Skewen 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, seeking out non-brand name providers, who spend less on business and more on care levels, can pay off.
By calling and comparing a few treatment providers against each other, this step should give you a sense of what rehab will cost.
What is the goal of rehabilitation programmes?
Other Avenues For Help
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.
Sadly, community aids like this are unable to help with the most acute phase, needed at the start of recovery - detox.
AA, NA, and the big book groups have millions of followers and attendees, and have been very successful over the years. But starting out - you'll need more specialist help for detox.
NHS/Public Funding 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.
Families and friends often agree to jointly finance private treatment, in cases where no publicly funded options are available.
Step 4 - Get Impartial Consumer Reports
Reviews on websites are easy to pass off as genuine, but how do you really know they are?
Enter The Care Quality Commission (E&W) and The Care Inspectorate (Scotland).
These regulatory bodies complete inspections to ensure a minimum level of service is met.
Clinics are graded across multiple areas of care, including support standards, management, and clinical environment.
Clinic Inspections - What You Need to Know
There are 2 types of clinic inspections you need to know about - "Unannounced" and "Announced". "Unannounced" means the inspection team arrived at the provider with no forewarning; "Announced" means the clinic were aware of the visit in advance; therefore, always seek out reports detailing "Unannounced" inspections, to get the clearest picture possible, of day-to-day standards, inside the clinic.
Step 5 - Choose A Clinic
At this point, you've got enough info to decide on one of the clinics you've seen.
Expect to go through a few questions initially, when you call the provider you've chosen - this is normal.
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.
It's a good time at this point to also sort out any payment by insurance policy, or other means.
Step 6 - Deposits & Paying For Treatment
As mentioned, an initial deposit payment is usually expected.
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.
Paying For The Rest Of Treatment
Treatment providers will expect payment for the remainder of the balance of treatment, upon arrival the clinic.
To avoid excess charges later, it's best to settle this on time.
Step 7 - Admission Into Treatment
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.
Most clinics will expect you to pack these basics:
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.
Now, enjoy your recovery!
Asking The Right Questions
You've reached the end of our ultimate guide on finding the right rehab!
Thanks for reading our ultimate guide to finding treatment help in Skewen.
Abbeycare's UK clinics have been helping those in Skewen.
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.
We can even arrange to assist with transport to the clinic (some extra charges do apply).
Our clinic inspection reports are available on the relevent service pages: Abbeycare Scotland, 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 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.
Are you ready?
To ask a question, or to arrange admission, ring our team now on 01603 513 091.
