Why We Need Your Medical Information Before Admission
Medically Reviewed by:
Last Updated:
November 10th, 2025
At UKAT, your safety, comfort, and long-term recovery are our highest priorities.
Before admission into any of our rehab centres, we require a detailed medical history to ensure you receive the most appropriate and effective treatment from the very first day.
Providing your medical information isn’t just a formality; it’s essential for planning your treatment safely, preventing complications, and ensuring that from day one, your recovery plan is tailored to your individual needs.
Why We Ask for Medical Information
When you arrive at a UKAT centre, you may begin detoxification or prescribed medication soon after admission. To do this safely, our clinical team needs to understand:
- Any medical conditions or recent illnesses
- Which medications you take and any possible interactions
- Whether your body is ready for detox or withdrawal management
- Any risk factors that may affect your first few days of treatment
Having this information allows our team to create a safe, individualised treatment plan that may also include any necessary detox medication, supporting your recovery while protecting your health.
The Documents We May Request
We may ask for a number of key documents from you and your GP:
| Document | Why it’s important |
| GP Medical Summary | Provides your medical history, prescriptions, and allergies. This helps our doctors plan your detox and ensure all medications are safe for you. |
| Up-to-Date Medical Summary | Gives a comprehensive overview of your current health, including ongoing conditions, recent treatments, and any relevant observations, ensuring safe and tailored care. |
| Recent Psychiatric Report (if applicable) | Offers insight into your mental health history and current management, allowing our team to provide appropriate psychological support alongside detox. |
| Hospital Discharge Letter | If you’ve recently been admitted to hospital, this confirms your diagnosis, treatment, and any follow-up advice, helping our team plan care safely and effectively. |
| Recent Blood Test Results (FBC & LFTs) | Shows how your liver, kidneys, and blood are functioning. (Vital for safe detox and medication planning.) |
Rehab can be physically and mentally demanding, especially during detox. By reviewing your medical information, we can:
- Identify potential health risks and plan around them.
- Monitor pre-existing conditions safely.
- Adjust medications and therapies to your needs.
- Protect you from complications during your first days of treatment.
This ensures your detox and early recovery are as safe and effective as possible.
What Happens Without These Documents
Without a GP summary or recent test results, our medical team may not be able to approve your admission safely.
We request these varying medical documents to prevent medical risks. Starting detox or specialised medication without this information could be unsafe, particularly if there are undisclosed health conditions, allergies, or prescription interactions.
We never want to take risks with your health, and having this information ensures we don’t have to.
While we request a medical summary for every client at the time of booking, it may not always be essential. We will evaluate the need for any documentation throughout your original assessment with us. Our team will determine whether documentation is required or if we can proceed without it. The exact documentation needed depends on the rehab centre you’re admitted to, how your initial assessment goes, and the doctor in charge of your care.
What To Do (and How We Can Support You)
To make your admission process smoother:
- Contact your GP and request a full medical summary (including medications and recent consultations).
- Ask for recent blood test results, or arrange a private test if needed.
- If you’ve been in hospital, provide your discharge summary or letter.
We know this can feel overwhelming, and we can help in practical ways:
- Guiding you on how to request your medical summary from your GP.
- In some cases, with your prior consent, requesting the summary directly from your GP on your behalf.
- Advice on how to make the process easier.
Once your documents are received, our medical team reviews them promptly so your treatment can begin without delay.
Your Privacy and Data Protection
We understand that sharing medical information is personal. At UKAT, your privacy is our priority:
- Your documents are reviewed only by qualified members of our clinical team.
- All records are stored securely, in line with UK GDPR and NHS data protection standards.
- We never share your information outside UKAT without your explicit consent.
Your information helps us keep you safe, and it always remains completely confidential.
Your Health is Our Priority
Providing your medical information is the first step in your safe and effective recovery. It allows our clinical team to plan your treatment with precision, keep you safe, and support you from day one.
At UKAT, we don’t just treat addiction, we care for your wellbeing.
This page follows NHS and NICE (CG115) guidelines for the safe management of alcohol and substance dependence.
All medical admissions are reviewed and approved by UKAT’s clinical governance team.