Got a question?
We have put together a list of frequently asked questions which may be able to answer your questions.
Can I just call in at a centre or do I need to make an appointment?
Making the decision to seek help is the most important step. So, please phone or call in at a centre. One of our staff will listen to you and also arrange a longer appointment where together we can work out a plan to tackle your problems.
Do your services have disabled access?
Every effort is made to ensure that our services are accessible to everyone regardless of ability or disability. If you require disabled access then please contact the service that you want to attend and arrangements will be made so that you can access the building.
How much do you charge?
Nothing. We offer our services free. And if you are referred to one of our residential services, funding will be arranged through Social Services.
Who will you tell that I am having counselling/treatment?
Our service is confidential. Only if you have given permission will we inform the relevant people, such as your partner, doctor, social worker or probation officer.
Will I be examined by a doctor or nurse?
We are a social care rather than a medical service. We will carry out an assessment when you first come to us to find out what concerns you have about your alcohol and or drug use and to get some history about where and when it started. We can help you find the right medical advice, help and support if that is right for you
Can my GP help me?
Yes. Your GP is a good person to speak to if you are worried about your own or someone else’s drink or drug problem. ADS and other agencies works with some GP practices to offer help at surgeries. Others GPs have links to their local community alcohol and drug services and will know how to make a referral.
I’m gay – can I see a gay counsellor about my drinking or drug addiction?
We’ll do our best. There may not be a counsellor immediately available at the centre you contact, but we will try to find the appropriate person for you to see who relates to gender or other issues. Our counsellors, support staff and volunteers may, if they choose, identify areas which are relevant to their orientation, but as an equal opportunities agency, we don’t require anyone to do so.
What do you mean by an assessment?
The word “assessment” sounds very formal but it is really just a chance for us to understand directly from you what concerns you have about your alcohol and or drug use and to get some history about where and when it started. To get a full picture we will also ask you some general background information about yourself. Usually this assessment appointment will take about an hour, but because everyone is different and it is really important that we fully understand your situation, sometimes we may need to meet over a few sessions.
What is a care plan?
After an assessment we will work with you on developing a plan of action, which we call a “care plan”. The care plan breaks down all the issues you have told us about into groups and what your goals are on each of them. We then set out the plans to deal with them. In the care plan we also write down who is responsible for what and in what time frame. All professional addiction services now use care plans; they help both our clients and the staff in the project understand your goals and the services you have agreed to use. In some situations your care plan may include the services of a few other organisations or healthcare professionals. The care plan is used throughout your time with a service to help you keep track of your goals and the progress you have made. We also use the care plan to see what other support may be need along the way. Whatever your situation, you are in charge every step of the way, a care plan is something we develop with you not for you. No-one will make you do anything that you don’t want to do.
What is a day programme?
ADS run Day Programmes at most of our centres. Most similar services have these types of programmes in other parts of the country. Day programmes are, for many people, a real alternative to residential alcohol and drug treatment – including families and friends. Think of a Day Programme like selecting from a menu: there may be things that you would like to try, such as relapse avoidance courses, assertiveness training, counselling, social and leisure activities and alternative therapies. There may be others that do not suit you, like a support group for stimulant users if you have an alcohol problem. As you make progress your needs will change, so our day programmes have groups and services to match all stages of recovery, all the way to keeping up the changes that you have successfully made. Our clients can attend the day programme as often as every day occasionally, depending on personal circumstances and available time – perhaps you work or go to college? Your assessment and care plan will make sure the activities and services you choose are right for you.
What do you mean by a ‘brief intervention’?
A brief intervention usually involves between one and six sessions to help people who are concerned about their drinking or drug use but are not yet dependant. It means we can rapidly focus on support for the client. Many people are able to successfully reduce alcohol or drug use or sometimes make a decision to abstain altogether through this type of service. A brief intervention service is usually offered after some from of assessment, as they are not suitable for everyone.
What is a home detoxification?
The term “detoxification” in alcohol or drug treatment means getting rid of the chemical from the body – usually by taking prescribed medication and using comfort measures to relieve the unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal. Home detox – sometimes referred to as community detox – means that you do this at home rather than in a hospital or clinic; but it could be one option of a range of options suggested after a full assessment and delivered as part of a care plan. How a home detox works will depend on the services available in your local area and whether the detox is needed for an alcohol or drug problem. We offer home detoxification from a number of our local centres for clients who are dependant on alcohol and / or drugs. ADS staff can make referrals and tell you about local home detoxification services in areas where we do not currently provide this service ourselves.
What is in-patient Detoxification?
There can be many reasons for using an in-patient detoxification programme. It might be suggested as an option after a full assessment with a specialist alcohol or drug worker – for example, if you are likely to need a place where specialist medical support and nursing care are available 24 hours a day. It might be more agreeable to be treated in your own home through a home detox but in some situations this is just not be possible. In-patient detoxification can take place in general hospitals but it is more likely that a specialist centre will to manage your detox. There are usually separate specialist centres for alcohol detoxification and drug detoxification in every region of the country – these services are still free and are part of the NHS.
If an in-patient detoxification is suggested and you agree, then a worker at ADS will be able to make these arrangements, including sorting out the paperwork. You may be invited to visit the specialist centre or one of their staff may come to meet you. The process can vary depending on where you live, and if you want a detox for alcohol or drugs.
The ADS worker will be able to help every step of the way. After contacting the detoxification service that is right for you, and after they have agreed that this is the best course of action, you will usually be placed on a waiting list – your worker will explain how long you may have to wait and why. The in-patient unit or hospital will contact you about you admission by post or telephone – sometimes beds become available at quite short notice. You will be offered continued support while you are on the waiting list, which will include helping you decide what support you may want to use after the detox. Your counsellor will be able to answer any questions you have and prepare you for the specifics of your admission.
What will happen to me if I go for In-patient detoxification?
Once you are admitted to the in-patient detoxification unit, a doctor will see you and will prescribe medication needed to safely and comfortably detox you from alcohol or drugs. The types of medication used will be fully discussed with you by your counsellor before your admission and again by the doctor and nursing staff treating you. The doctor and nursing staff will continue to treat any uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms you may have. As you start to feel better you will feel like doing more things; some specialist hospitals are designed to be a bit more homely and also offer services like group counselling and activities to keep you occupied. It is important to remember that detoxification is one of the first steps in recovering from an alcohol or drug problem. It will remove the chemical from your body in a safe way and there is no doubt that you will feel a lot better at the end of your hospital stay – but staying off alcohol or drugs can be a difficult task and most people need some help to do this. The counsellor who arranged your in-patient detox will have developed a care plan with you before your admission to hospital. This plan will include all the things you decided to do during and after your detox to help you to stay away from drinking or taking drugs and keep you on track. This care plan could include using day-care services, structured counselling or a self -help group, as well as help for your family and friends who may be supporting you. The most important thing is to remember how far you have come and to keep up with the commitment you made to yourself by following the plan you made.
What is residential care and is it for me?
Residential care (sometimes called residential rehabilitation) is an option for people who have decided that abstaining totally from alcohol and/or drugs is currently the best way forward – but can’t to do this while living at home. Residential rehabilitation services can vary in the way that they operate but most provide a home environment with a structured programme of treatment, in which where you will be living with other people who are in recovery from alcohol and drug use while being supported by each other and qualified and professionally trained staff.
ADS runs two residential rehabilitation services, Bennet House in Manchester and Bridge House in Preston. All residential rehabilitation homes are drug and alcohol free environments, with the main goals being to help you develop skills that will help you make positive improvements in all areas of your life while maintaining a long-term alcohol-free or drug-free lifestyle. Residential rehabilitation services have different lengths of stay, from six weeks to 12 months. They also use different models or theories in the services they provide. If you are thinking of using a residential rehabilitation service it is important to know what model they use and to make sure that this is a good fit for you. All residential rehabilitation services have printed material, and in many cases will welcome you to visit the programme to find out more.
There will be a lot of different activities on offer during your stay there, which should include ndividual and group counselling, life skills courses, building relapse prevention skills, help in improving skills of daily living, education and training and help around deciding what type of work you may want to return to. All residential rehabilitation programmes will also be able help in re-housing you at the end of the programme (if needed) and will arrange supportive aftercare for when you leave.
There are very clear standards that residential rehabilitation services must comply with; this is for your own safety and protection. The majority of homes comply with the Care Standards Act 2000, and both Bridge House and Bennet House are good examples of this. Some residential care homes are registered as independent hospitals and as such they comply with the various Acts and legislation governing hospitals.
How can I arrange admission to residential care?
Admission to residential services is usually voluntary, but can sometimes be part of a court order. Most residential rehabilitation services will expect you to be drug and alcohol free on your admission or to have completed a detoxification through a home detox or an in-patient detoxification unit.
Admission also depends on what is called a “community care assessment.” All ADS centres will be able to advise and guide you as to where you can have a community care assessment. If you are then found eligible by Social Services for residential care this will be supported and funded by them. You will then be supported to find a suitable programme either in your local area or at a residential rehabilitation service in another area.
It is important to keep in mind that you may be staying in the service for up to a year – so take your time choosing a programme that is right for you, understand what services they offer, how they offer them and what kind of rules they have. Your ADS worker will help you with this and you can ask to visit the services you are interested in. Once you have an approved community care assessment and have chosen the residential service that is the best fit for you, they will usually want to either see you. If this it is not possible due to distance then they will speak to you on the phone.
Each residential rehabilitation service will have its own admission guidelines, which will be carefully explained to you. They will ask you questions about your self and your goals as part of their assessment and let you know how long you will need to be drug or alcohol free before you come in. The counsellor helping you to arrange your residential rehabilitation will be well aware of this and will if needed be able arrange a home detox or in-patient detoxification. A few residential rehabilitation services have their own detoxification units within the service.
Once you are admitted to a residential rehabilitation service you will usually be assigned a person called a key worker. This person will be your main counsellor during your stay. In some services they also use a ‘buddy’ system – usually another resident who has been in the service for a while and made good progress and who will be a good peer support person for you.
At various stages during your stay in a residential rehabilitation service you will be visited by your representative, called a care manager, from your local area Social Services department or specialist alcohol and drug service. This is to see what progress both you and the residential service staff feel you are making, to make sure you are happy with the service you are receiving and to agree on continued funding of your stay. Towards the later part of your stay you will be working on plans for when you leave – you may be returning to your home town or deciding to live elsewhere. Your key worker from the residential service will guide you through this, as housing and arranging supports, like counselling or day programme for when you leave, are an important part of your programme.