Last Updated:

August 25th, 2025

Secondary Care

Strengthening your recovery for long-term success

Completing your initial rehab programme for addiction recovery is an incredible achievement; it’s proof that you’ve rebuilt your foundations, reignited your confidence, and are committed to a healthier future. But the truth is, your recovery doesn’t end when you leave residential treatment. In fact, this next stage in the treatment pathway can make the difference between lasting success and slipping back into old patterns. That’s why secondary care isn’t just a helpful add-on; it’s a vital continuation of your recovery journey.

What is Secondary Care?

Secondary care, sometimes referred to as step-down care or extended care, is the crucial bridge between the structured environment of residential rehab (primary care) and the independence of everyday life.

In primary care (typically 28 days inpatient rehab), you’ve built the foundation of your recovery: ridding your body of the harmful substance through detox, gaining essential skills, deepening self-awareness, and learning practical strategies to prevent relapse. Secondary care is where those lessons move from theory to practice. It provides a supportive, semi-structured environment where you can begin applying your new skills in real-life situations, with professional guidance to help you adapt, refine, and grow.

Unlike the intensity of full-time residential treatment, secondary care offers more freedom and personal responsibility while still surrounding you with the safety net of expert support. This stage is about strengthening your resilience, building confidence in your abilities, and gradually reclaiming independence without feeling isolated or overwhelmed.

Core elements of secondary care include:

Relapse Prevention: Reinforcing coping mechanisms and recognising triggers before they become setbacks.
Practical life skills: From managing finances to healthy meal planning, building routines that sustain long-term recovery.
Ongoing therapy and emotional support: Continued access to individual and group therapy to process challenges as they arise

Why Secondary Care Matters

Addiction profoundly impacts lives, from deteriorating physical health to worsening mental wellbeing, While primary care provides the stability and structure needed to break the cycle, early recovery remains a fragile stage. Even after weeks of abstinence, old triggers, unresolved emotions, and the pressures of daily life can feel overwhelming.

For many, moving straight from a highly structured rehab environment into complete independence is like stepping off a ledge, the change is sudden, and the safety net is gone. This abrupt transition can leave even the most determined individuals feeling vulnerable and unprepared.

Secondary care prevents that risk. It serves as a purposeful bridge between treatment and independence, allowing you to adjust at a steady, manageable pace while keeping the momentum you’ve built in primary care alive.

In practical terms, secondary care:

Reduces relapse risk by ensuring continued access to professional guidance, therapy, and peer support.
Strengthens coping strategies by applying them in real-world scenarios, with feedback to refine your approach.
Builds confidence in navigating responsibilities, relationships, and stressful situations without reverting to old habits.
Eases the transition into independence, replacing the shock of sudden change with a smooth, supported handover.

Secondary care isn’t just an extra step; it’s a cushion. It reinforces the progress you’ve made, helps you meet challenges head-on, and gives your recovery the stability it needs to last a lifetime.

Who Is Secondary Care For?

Secondary care is specifically designed for those who have successfully completed an initial rehab programme and are ready for the next step, but still recognise the value of professional guidance and structured support.

It’s ideal for those who:

Are committed to sustaining long-term recovery and understand that healing is an ongoing journey.
Want a safe, sober living environment that offers balance, freedom to grow, combined with the reassurance of a supportive framework.
Need additional time and space to develop essential life skills, rebuild relationships, or prepare for the demands of work or study.
Are navigating the challenging transition back into everyday life and seek a gradual, manageable reintegration.

Secondary care also serves as a crucial option for individuals who may have previously attempted to reintegrate independently but found the process overwhelming or encountered setbacks. It offers a structured and compassionate environment to strengthen recovery, rebuild resilience, and regain confidence in one’s ability to live a healthy, fulfilling life.

Secondary Care at Providence Projects

Our secondary care programme is offered exclusively at Providence Projects in Bournemouth, a cornerstone centre within the UKAT family, specialising in extended care and relapse prevention. This programme bridges the critical gap between primary treatment and independent recovery by combining structure, professional expertise, and a strong community spirit to support lasting success.

With UKAT, clients will benefit from a balanced approach that blends therapeutic intensity with real-world independence, consolidating progress, strengthening coping skills, and building confidence to face future challenges.

But, what exactly do you get from secondary care at Providence Projects?

Immersive Daily Therapy

Our programme features a robust daily therapy schedule, significantly deeper and more immersive than typical outpatient or step-down services. This structure provides the time and space to tackle complex issues thoroughly while developing practical skills for long-term recovery.

Therapy is purposeful and engaging; there’s no room for passivity. Everyone is encouraged to take an active role, knowing that recovery demands focus, effort, and commitment.

Key therapy topics include:

Building Self-Esteem: Developing confidence and a positive self-image essential for resisting relapse
Healthy Relationships: Understanding boundaries, fostering communication, and rebuilding trust
Anxiety and Stress Management: Practical tools to identify and navigate emotional triggers
Relapse Prevention: Early identification of warning signs, and developing personalised, actionable plans
The 12-Step Programme: A focus on the first three steps to embed foundational recovery principles
Same-Sex Group Therapy: Held every two weeks (based on group size), providing a safe and supportive environment for gender-specific issues

Additional workshops and take-home assignments encourage ongoing reflection and real-life application, reinforcing learning beyond therapy hours.

A Supportive Community

Recovery is rarely a solo journey. At Providence Projects, clients become part of a tightly knit recovery community where peer support and accountability are central. Movement around the facility is carefully organised in groups of three, a buddy system that ensures no one faces challenges alone. This peer connection fosters motivation, mutual encouragement, and a shared commitment to progress.

Regular drug and alcohol testing maintains a safe, sober environment, protecting everyone’s recovery and reinforcing personal accountability.

Personalised Relapse Prevention Planning

A cornerstone of our secondary care is the development of a tailored relapse prevention plan, a strategic, step-by-step roadmap designed to safeguard sobriety long after treatment ends. You will work closely with professionals to:

Recognise and understand personal triggers
Build and maintain a structured, stable daily routine
Establish and nurture a strong sober support network
Develop contingency plans for managing setbacks or cravings

This proactive planning transforms uncertainty into confidence, equipping clients with practical tools and strategies to stay on track.

Independence with Professional Support

One of the unique features of UKAT’s secondary care is the separation of accommodation and therapy facilities. Clients live in comfortable, supportive housing close to the therapy centre but separate from it, creating an essential layer of independence. This arrangement encourages personal responsibility and autonomy, key elements in the transition back to everyday life.

Clients take charge of their own meals, cooking and budgeting for themselves, further developing vital life skills. This balance of freedom and structure builds confidence and resilience, making recovery a lived experience, not just a clinical process.

Enriching Daily Life & Wellbeing Activities

Recovery is about more than therapy sessions. To nurture physical health, social connection, and emotional wellbeing, clients participate in a variety of activities designed to reduce stress and build community, including:

Beach-based activities and scenic coastal walks, encouraging connection with nature and physical fitness
Team sports, such as volleyball to promote camaraderie and teamwork
Weekly yoga sessions that enhance mindfulness, flexibility, and mental clarity

These activities complement therapeutic work, supporting holistic healing in mind, body, and spirit.

This carefully crafted balance of structure and freedom prepares clients not only to maintain sobriety but to thrive in the next vital phase of recovery: sober living. As the natural progression following secondary care, sober living offers a supportive, peer-driven environment where individuals continue to practice independence and resilience while surrounded by a community committed to sustained recovery.

Why Choose Secondary Care with UKAT?

As a fully integrated part of the UKAT network, The Providence Projects combines decades of expertise with a compassionate, person-centred approach. Here, clients benefit from:

Tailored programmes designed to meet individual needs and challenges
A strong, supportive community grounded in mutual respect and shared goals
Access to experienced addiction professionals dedicated to ongoing recovery support
A safe and structured environment that still encourages personal growth and independence
Evidence-based therapies combined with practical recovery tools

This unique combination of professional care, personal responsibility, and community support ensures you leave secondary care not just sober, but equipped, confident, and ready to thrive independently.

Take That Next Step Today

Your recovery journey deserves a proven structure that truly supports lasting change. Our Secondary Care Programme is designed to build on the progress you’ve already made, providing the ongoing care and guidance necessary to maintain your recovery for the long term.

Reach out to our admissions team today, and discover how our pivotal secondary care programme can help turn your initial progress into lasting change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to complete primary treatment?

Yes. Secondary care is specifically designed as a step-down programme following the successful completion of primary residential treatment. It builds on the foundation established during primary care, supporting your smooth transition toward independent living while still providing professional guidance. To benefit fully from secondary care, it’s essential to have developed core skills and stability during primary treatment. At UKAT, we expect clients to have completed a minimum of four weeks of primary treatment, including detoxification, before moving into secondary care.

Will I be able to go out or have visitors?

Secondary care offers increased freedom compared to primary treatment, but with important boundaries to support your recovery. You will live in a sober, structured residential environment where clients cannot leave the premises alone, ensuring safety and accountability. Family visits are permitted on Saturdays, allowing you to maintain healthy connections with loved ones in a controlled way that prioritises your wellbeing.

What support will I get after completing secondary treatment?

Completing secondary care does not mean your recovery support ends. You will have access to next-step sober living options as well as UKAT’s comprehensive aftercare services. This includes the alumni network, ongoing counselling, and relapse prevention resources. This extended support ensures you stay connected to a community of peers and professionals dedicated to your long-term sobriety and wellbeing, helping you confidently face any future challenges.

How does Secondary Care differ from Aftercare?

Secondary Care is a structured, transitional stage of treatment that follows primary (inpatient) rehab. It usually involves living in a sober or supported environment, attending regular therapy and group sessions, and gradually taking on more independence.

Aftercare, on the other hand, begins once you’ve completed structured treatment and are living independently. It’s lighter in structure, often weekly or monthly support groups, counselling, or check-ins, and is designed to help you maintain recovery long-term.

Overall, Secondary Care is still part of a structured programme with a recovery-focused living environment, while Aftercare is ongoing support you access while living at home.

How much is secondary care?

At UKAT, secondary care is available from £1,400 per week at our Bournemouth centre. Our admissions team can provide a detailed breakdown and help you determine the plan that best suits your needs.