If you're looking for drug or alcohol addiction help - you'll have already realised the myriad of options on offer. Many aren't aware of the right questions to ask, and how to compare more than one centre.
If you're considering expensive rehab treatment - read our need-to-knows before taking the plunge.
Step 1 - Detox .v. Rehab
There are a wealth of treatment options available for those fresh to the journey of recovery. But, choosing the wrong provider early on, might mean drawing the wrong conclusions about recovery, and what's possible for your future.
Detox .v. Rehab
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.
Opting for the full package will provide more support, but think about if it's necessary.
Clinic Location
The convenience of a nearby clinic can seem appealing when feeling in need of detox.
Make comparisons instead, against level of care, support, and independent reviews from The Care Quality Commission (England & Wales) or The Care Inspectorate (Scotland).
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? Asking a few basics like these upfront can save a lot of headache later.
See all the locations Abbeycare serve, here.
A Past History Of Addiction
Getting the right help means being picky about the support you'll receive while in treatment.
This can be especially important where you have complex drug or alcohol detox needs.
Most clinics have standardised approaches for routine detoxes for alcohol etc, but anything more complex will need specialist input from suitably qualified professionals.
Ask if the clinic you're dealing with has specialist professionals who've delivered your detox in the past, and with what results.
KEY QUESTIONS
- How long should detox take, for me?
- What addiction experience do your prescribing professionals have?
- If I have questions about my specific detox needs, who would I speak to?
Step 2 - What Happens In Rehab?
What should I expect, inside an addiction clinic?
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.
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.
How Do I Monitor Progress?
If your clinic provides strong personal attention in the programme, they should help you map out what you want from treatment, exactly.
In the best clinics, where personal attention is high, you'll work with an assigned case manager, throughout your stay, who should help you draw up a care plan, in this way.
Be sure to take an active part in this, to avoid having standardised goals laid out, that don't match your preferences or personal situation. Any input at this stage will likely pay dividends later.
KEY QUESTIONS
- What sort of care planning takes place when I enter the clinic?
- Do you have a one size fits all approach to treatment, or do you work with each individual's needs?
- Is care planning done for me, or is it collaborative?
- Am I passed from one staff member to another, as shifts change?
Life Inside The Clinic
What's the daily routine, inside a rehab, during treatment?
Asking some key questions before admitting to a clinic can help you get a sense for what life is like in treatment, before committing.
Since residential rehab is a group environment, most clinics provide each client with a daily agenda, every night for the following day. The agenda lets you know what's happening when, and what activities you should participate in.
Factors such as previous detoxes, history of relapse, amount and duration of intake, and others, will determine how long the detox stage of treatment takes. 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.
Arranging a visit to the clinic, before committing any funding, can help reassure you of standards of care, and avoid a costly mistake. Ask about this.
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?
- How do I get reassurance about the look and feel of the clinic, prior to arranging admission?
- When would I be expected to move from detox into therapy in the clinic?
How Does Covid-19 Affect Rehab Centres?
Rehab is almost always a group exercise, even at higher end clinics.
Gains achieved during treatment can be amplified by the help of the peer group around you.
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 Tredegar is a concern for many.
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.
Automatically choosing the lowest price provider can lead to poor care levels inside the clinic, detrimental to your recovery progress.
Double check standards of care and therapy provided for lower cost providers - you may be surprised. Opt instead for a middle-tier clinic, with a better balance of cost to care levels provided.
Get a rough indication of costs at this stage by calling a few clinics direct and make it clear your call is just an initial enquiry, to avoid over-committing to one provider too early.
Alternative Options
Mutual Aid Support
Most locations hold local Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings which can assist in the mutual aid and social elements of recovery.
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.
Local mutual aid meetings *can* be a huge help, and can be a source of potential sponsors and sober mentors for the future. But initially, it's important to get professional help to detox safely, and comfortably.
NHS Assistance
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.
Eligibility for short term detox is slim, and is usually restricted to only a handful of 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
Reviews on websites are easy to pass off as genuine, but how do you really know they are?
Our heroes here are the industry watchdogs - The Care Commission, and The Care Inspectorate.
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.
Clinics are graded across multiple areas of care, including support standards, management, and clinical environment.
Regulatory Inspections - Keynotes
In some visits, the provider is made aware in advance, that the inspection is occuring - these are what's known as "Announced" inspections. Other times, inspection teams show up without warning - these are "Unannounced" inspections - therefore, to get the most reliable information, look for reports which state the inspection was Unannounced.
Step 5 - Arrange Admission
At this point, you've got enough info to decide on one of the clinics you've seen.
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.
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.
It's a good time at this point to also sort out any payment by insurance policy, or other means.
Step 6 - Funding Your Stay
As mentioned, paying a deposit secures your room in the clinic, prior to arrival.
The deposit could be anywhere from £500 - £3,000, depending on specifics. Most clinics accept payment over the phone by card.
Not many clinics remain, who offer finance payment plans, directly.
Ask for an email confirmation of booking, and get clarity on when the admission details will be finalised, and your date of admission confirmed.
Remaining 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.
It's a good idea to pay this promptly, to avoid excess charges.
Step 7 - Admitting To A Clinic
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.
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.
Do you have transport to the clinic organised? Making sure of this will help avoid any potential extra charges levied for late arrival.
Now, enjoy your recovery!
The Top Questions To Ask
Thanks for reading our guide.
Thanks for reading our free guide.
Abbeycare's UK clinics are available to those in Tredegar.
Since 2005, we've been helping thousands to overcome addiction, comfortably, and safely.
There's no substitute for the years of experience we've had, assisting with even the most complex cases.
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.
Our admissions team are ready to listen to your needs.
Our medical team can assist you to detox, safely, and comfortably.
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.
Now....are you ready?
We'll help get things moving. Ring us direct, on 01603 513 091.
