For most, finding the right help for alcohol or drug issues in St Julians, is confusing and difficult. Many simply don't know how to compare treatment providers and end up settling for less.
Here's everything you need to know when buying rehab - including how to ask the right questions and weed out weaker options.
Step 1 - Needs .v. Wants
Having gone through months (years?) of denial, when we're ready for treatment, it's easy to rush ahead into the first detox provider you call. But spending just a little time getting clear on what you truly need, can save a costly mistake.
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?
- Do you need detox, or rehab? (Be honest).
If you've completed previous treatment and have a good understanding of self already, the full programme may not be required. But if you don't have supports in place, the detox-only option may not be enough.
Treatment Near St Julians
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? Just a few minutes work here, can pay off down the line.
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.
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.
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
- Can you easily accommodate my detox needs?
- What professionals in the clinic are admininstering detox?
- If I have questions about my specific detox needs, who would I speak to?
Step 2 - Behind The Scenes In An Addiction Treatment Clinic
What is the typical admission process?
Rehabilitation clinics operate a residential service - you stay residentially, in the clinic, 24hrs a day, usually with your own room and personal space.
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.
The Plan For Treatment
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.
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. Any input at this stage will likely pay dividends later.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Do I get an individualised care plan that I have input into?
- How do you help clients measure goals and progress?
- Do you take account of my history of addiction when making treatment care plans?
- Is there a member of staff assigned to me personally?
What's Rehab Treatment Like, Day To Day?
What is it like being in a rehab clinic?
It can be tricky to discern exactly what happens each day in treatment, as the routine can vary.
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 lays out the timetable of events, and what's expected.
The time it takes to feel better at the initial stages of treatment is personal to each individual. 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. Sometimes it will take longer than this to get a clear head again. Clinic staff understand this.
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?
- 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?
- 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.
Gains achieved during treatment can be amplified by the help of the peer group around you.
Achieving recovery in a covid-19 world, however, means making some accommodations along the way.
Step 3 - Set A Budget
Getting funds together for rehab in St Julians takes planning, for most families.
The differences between public and private options are vast.
As you can imagine, the cheapest provider is not always the best.
Instead, to keep costs reasonable but standards high, consider providers further afield, or smaller clinics with a lower headcount and rural location.
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.
Alternative Options
AA/NA/GA 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.
If you're just starting out in recovery though, detoxing comfortably first, will undoubtedly be the priority.
Thousands benefit from local community groups every week. But the first stage of help - physically detoxing - will need more specialist care.
NHS Addiction Options
Whilst the NHS do have addiction keyworkers in different regions, they’re normally overrun with enquiries and demand on resources, meaning obtaining funding for a rehab stay is unlikely.
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
Assessing a provider's standard of care is important - but can be tricky for the layman.
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.
Service providers receive a full report on the watchdog's findings.
Regulatory Inspections - Keynotes
Inspections can be "announced" (the clinic is aware in advance) or "unannounced" (inspection teams arrive without warning) - so for the best insight into everyday care levels, check for unannounced reports.
Step 5 - Choose A Clinic
It's now time to decide on one of the clinics you've looked at.
The clinic team will ask you to complete a telephone questionnaire, to make sure they can meet your needs.
A telephone assessment might last up to 30 minutes, after which the provider will likely request you to pay a deposit towards treatment, so that they can progress further with your admission.
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, paying a deposit secures your room in the clinic, prior to arrival.
Most clinics will expect a deposit of £2,000 or more.
The days of clinics offering finance facilities directly, are mostly gone, although a few do still offer in-house plans to pay for treatment.
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.
The Remaining Funding
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 - Admit to treatment
Now it's time for the practical stuff of admitting. Double check you have a note of your confirmed date and time your due to admit to the clinic.
You'll usually be asked to bring certain essentials with you:
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.
Make sure to finalise transport arrangements a few days in advance, to ensure you attend the clinic on time, and avoid any surcharges on delays on treatment.
Now, enjoy your recovery!
Print Our Cheatsheet To Easily Compare Providers
Thank you for reading the ultimate guide to finding the right rehab treatment for St Julians.
Thanks so much for reading our buyer's guide.
Abbeycare's UK clinics have been helping those in St Julians.
Thousands have already joined Abbeycare to overcome addiction, from every corner of the globe.
There's no substitute for the years of experience we've had, assisting with even the most complex cases.
Even if you need transport arranged to get here, we can probably help with that too.
Our inspection reports from the regulators, are available on our clinic pages, here: Abbeycare Scotland, Abbeycare Gloucester.
Our admissions team are ready to listen to 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.
Are you ready?
Ready to get started? All calls are confidential. Ring direct on 01603 513 091.
