Since the Dame Carol Black review in 2021, we’ve witnessed a long-overdue shift in how residential rehabilitation is perceived and funded. For the first time in years, rehab is being recognised as a vital component in the journey to recovery, especially for those facing the most complex and enduring challenges.
At Kenward Trust, where I’ve had the privilege of leading our transformation from financial uncertainty to award-winning recognition, we know just how life-changing residential recovery can be. Now, through my work as chair of Choices Rehabs, I’m focused on ensuring that this progress isn’t temporary. It’s important our sector continues to have a strong, unified voice to also advocate residential rehab as part of a wider continuum of care and part of a broader treatment system, all of which deserves funding and adequate support.
The role of rehab in today’s recovery landscape
Residential rehab is far more than a last resort. For many, it is the critical turning point that enables long-term, sustainable recovery. It offers:
- A structured, safe space away from environmental triggers
- 24/7 support from skilled professionals and a recovery community
- Time to address the underlying causes of addiction, including trauma
- A holistic path to rebuilding lives, not just stopping substance use
Responding to a more complex referral landscape
Today, we’re seeing increasingly complex referrals across our services. Many individuals arrive at rehab not only with substance dependency, but with:
- Significant mental health needs
- Housing instability
- Serious physical health complications
A particular concern is the growing number of under-30s presenting with ketamine addiction, which carries serious long-term risks, particularly to the bladder and kidneys. These cases require close, multi-disciplinary care that residential rehab is uniquely positioned to deliver.
Don’t let this progress stall
While the funding uplift following the review was welcome, it must not be viewed as a one-time solution. The road ahead requires:
- Sustained investment in residential treatment
- Clear recognition of rehab’s integral role within the wider system
- Commissioning decisions that prioritise complexity, outcomes, and ethics, not just cost
- A continued focus on trauma-informed, person-centred care
A call to stay focused
There is a real opportunity to reshape how we understand, and deliver, addiction recovery in the UK. But this depends on our continued collaboration, advocacy, and commitment to ethical, evidence-led support.
At Choices Rehabs, we are committed to being a strong voice for residential services, working alongside commissioners, providers, and policymakers to ensure rehab remains a valued, accessible part of the national response.
Let’s keep the momentum going. Lives depend on it.
Warm regards,
Penny Williams
CEO, Kenward Trust & chair, Choices Rehabs
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