Drug and alcohol problems are rarely easy to deal with. They can get so bad that the only viable solution is to search out a residential rehab program. But residential rehab can be expensive. The question is this: is it worth the price?
Considering the cost of rehab in the UK is smart. Whenever you are spending a considerable amount of money, you want to make sure you’re getting real value for every pound. When it comes to residential rehab, price points vary considerably. The least expensive can cost as little as £2,000 per week, while the most expensive can easily run you £10,000 or more.
The total cost depends on what you’re getting. Weekly fees pay for a variety of services, medications, and the cost of feeding and housing a patient. The lower the weekly fee, the less a patient receives in terms of amenities.
What Rehab Fees Cover
It might be easier to determine whether the cost of rehab in the UK is worth it if you know what it is you’re paying for. The biggest expense of all is the residential aspects of rehab. A residential rehab centre is a facility that feeds and houses patients for the duration of their treatment. The costs include:
- A room and a bed to sleep in
- Water, electricity, heat, etc.
- All the patient’s meals
- Transportation to and from treatments (if applicable)
The costs associated with housing are quite substantial all on their own. But then there are treatments to consider. So weekly fees also cover:
- Medical Professionals – Residential rehab is medically supervised by nurses and doctors. They need to be paid. So part of the weekly fees goes toward their salaries.
- Medications – Modern drug and alcohol rehab is also medically assisted. Prescription medications are often used to safely manage withdrawal.
- Therapy – In addition to prescription medications, patients are provided with a range of therapies designed to help them understand their problems and equip them with strategies for coping once they go home.
- Amenities – Residential rehab clinics in the UK like to offer certain amenities when they can. Amenities take the edge off and make a person’s stay more comfortable.
The most expensive residential rehab centres are luxury centres offering a full range of amenities. From fitness centres to swimming pools and gourmet kitchens, the sky is the limit for patients who can afford the highest weekly fees. On the other hand, the least expensive rehab centres offer more limited amenities.
Post-Rehab Patient Services
It is not unusual for residential rehab centres to offer patients some measure of post-rehab services. It’s also not unusual for such services to be built into the cost of rehab. Services include things like follow-up therapy, medical exams, and access to support groups and resources.
The thing about follow-up services is that patients should never assume they are either free or included in the cost of a program. Such services vary from one clinic to the next, as do their cost. This is something that should be asked about before enrolling in a rehab program.
Whether included or not, follow-up services are critical to helping patients reintegrate into normal life following rehab. The services go a long way toward avoiding relapse. Without them, a patient can have a pretty challenging time in the weeks and months after rehab is complete.
Less Expensive Rehab Options
Rehab advocates insist residential programs are worth the money. Let us assume most patients get their money’s worth. There are still others who cannot afford residential rehab. Are there less expensive options? Yes. Here they are:
1. Home Detox
Some patients qualify for alcohol detox at home after meeting with a GP. Home detox is medically supervised just like residential rehab. But the goal of home detox is just to help patients break the physical dependence on drugs and alcohol. Therapy is treated as a separate matter after the fact.
Home detox is not easy. In fact, most patients who choose the option rely on friends and family members to provide support during the process. Once detox is complete, a patient is usually encouraged to attend therapy sessions at a local clinic or join a support group.
2. NHS Services
The NHS offers a limited number of services available to all UK residents. In order to be eligible, a patient must first visit a GP. Eligible patients are then provided access to local drug and alcohol services, talk therapies, and certain medications.
Again, a GP can recommend home detox. The benefit of getting such a recommendation is having a nurse visit multiple times throughout detox to administer medication and check on the patient’s health. As you might expect, the NHS is very selective with home detox recommendations.
3. Charity Services
Charities like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous offer free support groups accessible to anyone in the UK. This would be the ideal situation for patients in the early stages of dependence. However, for someone who has been using for a significant amount of time and fits the dictionary definition of addiction, support group participation alone probably won’t be enough.
The Value of Saving a Life
The unfortunate reality is that residential rehab is not free. It costs a lot of money to run a rehab clinic. So owners have little choice but to charge for their services. But there is another way to look at it. Rather than asking whether the cost of rehab in the UK is worth it, ask yourself what the value of saving a life is.
Whether you were struggling with alcohol or drugs yourself, or you know of a family member or friend who is, the value of a human life cannot be measured in pounds. Sometimes residential rehab is the only choice. And in such cases, families often find a way to come up with the financial resources. Those who truly cannot have to look to the NHS and free services provided by charities.
