Do you or a loved one need addiction treatment for alcohol or drugs? It's easy to end up paying too much for a treatment clinic that underdelivers.
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 Need?
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. Get off to the right start by deciding first what you need - detox, rehab, or both?
Detox & Rehab: Short Term .v. Long Term
Addiction treatment for alcohol or drugs usually starts with a detox, then therapy (rehab), followed by aftercare. But which of these is right for you?
- Have you tried treatment previously, without success? Or even, tried going it alone without professional help?
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.
Rehab In The Right Place
The convenience of a nearby clinic can seem appealing when feeling in need of detox.
Unless you're extremely unwell, consider anything up to 100 mile radius and focus instead on quality of care.
Clinics have to pass muster with regulators re the basics of detox and rehab, but how supportive is their team? What is the staff:client numbers ratio? What happens if you struggle in future? Just a few minutes work here, can pay off down the line.
See all the locations Abbeycare serve, here.
If You Have Complex Needs
Like many things in life, the quality of your experience in a rehab clinic can come down to the breadth and depth of experience of the staff you're working with.
Multiple previous detoxes, or challenging liver issues, should mean you're extra careful that the clinic can accommodate your needs, both safely, and comfortably.
The medical team at a given clinic have the final say of course, but the admissions team for a provider should be well-versed enough to give you an idea of how your detox will proceed.
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
- How long should detox take, for me?
- Do you have specialist addiction medics prescribing detox?
- My case is complex- what happens in the event of complications?
Step 2 - The Rehab Need-To-Knows
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.
The provider you're working with should ask you some questions over the phone to make sure you're a good match - it's important to give honest answers, to avoid complications later.
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.
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. This part is important and can determine your progress later, so don't skip it.
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?
- How is care planning done?
What Do I Do In The Clinic, Each Day?
What's the daily routine, inside a rehab, during treatment?
The structure of each day will vary of course, from one provider to the next.
In treatment, you should receive some form of agenda for each day of the week. 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.
The normal first stage of treatment is detox. Detox could last just a few days. Sometimes, detox will last much longer. This level of variance between individuals is very normal.
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 arrange to see inside the clinic, before admitting?
- How quickly after detoxing can I get started on the remainder of the programme elements?
Rehab & Covid-19
Since rehab treatment is usually a communal environment, you should expect to have to accommodate others on the journey.
Only with the support of others on the journey, can we hope to make a full recovery.
But making headway in your recovery, at the expense of other health factors, won't help anyone.
Step 3 - What Budget Is Available 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.
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
AA/NA/GA Meetings
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.
Whilst mutual aid plays a big part for many, later in their recovery journey, those at the start will need professional help to detox safely.
Mutual aid meetings have earned their place in everyone's recovery. But initially, it's important to get professional help to detox safely, and comfortably.
Public Healthcare For Addiction
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.
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 - Get Independent Reviews
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 regulatory bodies complete inspections to ensure a minimum level of service is met.
Treatment providers are graded against standardised performance measures like environment, care standards, and support provided to clients.
How Clinic Inspections Work
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 - Decide On A Provider
It's now time to decide on one of the clinics you've looked at.
Expect to go through a few questions initially, when you call the provider you've chosen - this is normal.
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.
Now is also the time to finalise any other arrangements re payment, like paying via insurance policy.
Step 6 - Funding Your Stay
As above, expect to pay a deposit prior to admission.
Expect to pay anywhere from £1,800 to £4,000 to book a place in a treatment provider's clinic.
You won't find many clinics offering payment options directly, unfortunately.
An email confirmation of your booking is usually sent to you, confirming the next steps.
Remaining Balance
The provider will likely ask you to settle the remainder of the treatment balance due, after arrival at the clinic.
It’s worth making the effort to settle this on time, as some providers can levy surcharges for late payment, and this quickly adds up, on larger balances.
Step 7 - Admission Into Treatment
If you don't already have it, contact the admissions team and confirm your date and time of arrival.
Pack enough essentials for your treatment duration, like:
Check your booking confirmation for advice about mobile phone usage, internet access, visits, leisure facilities, and any special arrangements for covid-19.
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.
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 Tonyrefail.
Abbeycare have provided this guide free of charge, to help you make the right decision when considering addiction rehab treatment options.
Abbeycare's UK clinics are available to those in Tonyrefail.
We've helped thousands overcome their addiction to alcohol or drugs.
All these years we've stuck to the basics that work - structured detox, therapy, and aftercare solutions that help get folks back on track.
We can even arrange to assist with transport to the clinic (some extra charges do apply).
You can read our inspection reports from regulatory bodies, on our clinic pages, for: Abbeycare Scotland, and Abbeycare Gloucester.
Our admissions team will help you navigate the treatment options.
The Abbeycare medical team can help you detox comfortably.
Our therapeutic team can help you identify the issues behind addiction, and stop the pattern in your life.
Our clinic team are ready to help you get started.
Are you ready?
We'll help get things moving. Ring us direct, on 01603 513 091.
