Castle Craig Hospital Reviews 28

There is something about Castle Craig from the moment you walk in the door you know you are in safe hands. The treatment is tough, you've got to be ready for it, but it's a well oiled machine, and the therapists and recovery advocate are exceptional.

I think the therapists go above and beyond for every one's individual needs.

I have had a very positive experience, I am leaving Castle Craig a different person

Very poor experience. The intake process was disorganized, communication was unreliable, and I repeatedly had to follow up myself. I was told I was 'forgotten' in internal meetings, received mixed messages about my care, and was charged for brief administrative phone calls that were caused by their own mistakes. No treatment plan was ever agreed upon , yet multiple consultations were billed. Attempts to ask about the complaint procedure were unhelpful, and written information was absent. Overall, the lack of transparancy professionalism, and accountability made me lose faith in this clinic. Especially considering they should be there to help vulnerable people.

Update*
Nice reaction made with AI. (which they now subtly changed, classy)
If Castle Craig Netherlands is truly a separate organisation, why do they operate under the same name, branding, and promote treatment pathways connected to Scotlands clinic?
I posted my review here because Castle Craig Netherlands does not have its own Trustpilot page, and my complaint has not been addressed directly despite repeated attempts.

I had a very positive experience with Castle Craig’s rehab clinics abroad. The treatment there was structured, professional, and the therapeutic environment felt supportive and high quality. During my stay abroad, I felt taken seriously and properly guided in my recovery process.

Unfortunately, my experience with the follow-up program in the Netherlands was very disappointing. The communication felt impersonal, and I often did not feel heard or understood as an individual. At times, I felt more like a number in a system than a person continuing a vulnerable recovery journey.

What was most difficult for me was that after experiencing a relapse, I was not allowed to participate in the aftercare program. Relapse is often part of recovery, and in that moment, support is especially important. Instead of feeling guided back into stability, I felt rejected. That was a painful experience and not what I expected from a recovery-focused organization.

The contrast between the high-quality treatment abroad and the aftercare approach in the Netherlands was significant. I believe the Dutch program would benefit from more personalized attention, more compassionate communication, and a clearer understanding that recovery is not always linear.

Awful place to be. Do not recommend. I got a smart watch delivered on Sunday. It had disappeared out my room by Monday as ‘they don’t have locks on doors’ well try Calderglen they do and nothing ever gets stolen and if it did the staff would be helpful. Hair straighteners, ladies iron and WiFi EarPods and an £18 cup flask all disappeared from our rooms but we’re told ‘small print in your contract’ advises we aren’t responsible. The food is disgusting. They gave nuts and other things people had allergies to at least 10 times. There was a lawyers petition when I left due to this. The therapists only work 9-5 in a 24/7 facility. 1 nurse though usually from an agency which is hopeless. So if you need help wait till office hours?!? Please research other places. This one costs the most monetary. You can’t leave the premises or buy food out of what they offer. No phones tv or computer and the treatment is not a patch on other rehabilitation centres locally for much better prices and more kind staff. I’ve experienced both. this place done me out of a lot. Still very angry about thieving out my room and it wasn’t us living there. It was their employees. But take your chances. Calderglen is only other one I have experienced and it’s so professional and it works. Stay safe guys x 🙏

Sadly I have spent many months in Castle Craig over the past 3 years. They provide a loving/caring environment where we learn about this disease. They give us the tools and knowledge to move forward in life! Cannot thank the staff enough.

Great experience with the therapist's. Really was life changing. The only negative experience I had was a nurse told me to man up while I was suffering from a lot of anxiety. Felt like I was completely ignored by medical at that time. Not all but a few. Some nurses were exceptional. But I wouldn't let that experience stop you from going. Really is a great place.

Excellent group Therapy, one to one therapy and support plus the seminars and lectures were always helpful and informative. Many of the Therapists and Recovery Advocates are in recovery themselves. The Castle is a huge team that works together like clockwork... therapists, advocates, medical staff, nursing, housekeeping, and of course the community of patients. I benefited greatly from Equine Therapy (facilitated by my wonderfully vivacious and empathetic therapist, Aureol), Alpaca care/ walking, art group,singing (and dancing!), acupuncture, outside and zoom AA and NA meetings and the Karaoke proved beyond doubt how joyful sobriety can be! If you put the hard work in - group, letters to self and your substance etc, 12 Steps (1- 3 usually) , attend all the seminars and workshops, individual work set by your Therapist- albeit tough and at times painful, you will certainly reap the benefits. I had been battling with alcoholism for 4 decades and after 7 weeks at Castle Craig I truly feel ready to live the rest of my life in happy recovery. Again, this has to be worked at everyday of one's life...do as they tell you: attend all the AA meetings possible, work the Steps, reach out for help and advise and embrace the Castle's Aftercare Programme. AA talks of a life beyond your wildest dreams. This can indeed be yours for the taking! Avril Barclay.

The facility is an awesome place that is a life saver with all that goes with detoxification and then building up strength and wellness. The program
is well put together with regular Therapy sessions and AA/NA meetings along with the in house peers who have a lot to share on their own addiction issues. I have nothing but 5 star for the treatment I received from day 1 through to day 28, truly grateful and inspired by my experience and I will never forget Castle Craig as it's saved my life!

There are many aspects of the 'treatment' provided at Castle Craig (CC) that I found concerning, but I am going to focus on the clinical negligence and medical gaslighting I experienced, which caused me great physical and psychological distress, and ultimately forced me to discharge myself.

I was prescribed the medication baclofen for my long term chronic pain whilst I was a patient at CC. I was given little information about baclofen when it was offered to me, other than the main side effect was dizziness. This medication (along with dihydrocodeine, which I had been prescribed before being admitted to Castle Craig) was abruptly stopped by one of the doctors. I was not tapered off the baclofen, as is recommended in medical guidelines. Within 12 hours of the prescriptions being stopped I started to experience a range of very unpleasant symptoms, including: headaches; chronic diarrhea; significantly increased muscular pain; agitation / anxiety; and severe insomnia. At first I had no idea why I was experiencing all these symptoms, but after a few days it occured to me that it could be withdrawal. I had had no concerns about going into withdrawal from dihydrocodeine (by this point a low dose), but given that I knew nothing about baclofen, I could only presume it was the stopping of dihydrocodeine that was causing my symptoms. I explained this to the doctor and was told that it was highly unlikely, and that what I was experiencing was psychosomatic, but I was prescribed clonidine. Clonidine did nothing to alleviate my symptoms. I continued to report all the symptoms I was suffering from and my concerns that I was in withdrawal, and kept being told that was not possible, and that it was psychosomatic - which it could not have been given I had never crossed my mind that I would go into withdrawal when the medications were ceased. I was not listened to, or believed. So after 5 days of almost no sleep (the last 3 nights in the castle I got no sleep at all), feeling horrific, confused and distressed, I discharged myself as I could no longer bear to suffer the dismissal of my suffering. 

After a few days at home I continued to experience many of these symptoms, and it occurred to me to research baclofen, and thats when I discovered that baclofen can cause very unpleasant withdrawal if stopped abruptly...The medical advice is to always taper down. My GP confirmed that it was likely I was experiencing withdrawal from baclofen.

I wrote and submitted a detailed complaint to Castle Craig, detailing as much of what I had experienced as I could. But the response I received was dismissive and gaslighting. They even provided me with the breakdown of baclofen doses I had received, claiming that this evidenced that I had been tapered down, when in actual fact they showed just the opposite. The following is copied and pasted from Castle Craig's response:
Friday 5th April • 10mg at 09:15 • 10mg at 17:15 • 10-20mg at 21:15 
Saturday 6th April • 10mg at 01:15 • 10-20mg at 21:15 
Sunday 7th April • 10-20mg at 09:15 • 10mg at 17:15 • 10-20mg at 21:15 
Monday 8th April • 10mg at 05:15 • 10-20mg at 17:15 • 10-20mg at 21:15 
Tuesday 9th April • 10-20mg at 05:15 • 10mg at 09:15 • 10-20mg at 21:15 
Wednesday 10th April • 15mg at 09:15 • 10-20mg at 13:15 • 10-20mg at 17:15 
Thursday 11th April • 10-20mg at 09:15• 10-20mg at 13:15 • 10-20mg at 21:15 
Friday 12th April • 10-20mg at 09:15 • 10mg at 17:15 
Saturday 13th April • 10mg at 05:15 • 10mg at 13:15 • 20mg at 21:15 
Sunday 14th April • 10mg at 09:15 • 10mg at 13:15 • 10mg at 21:15 
Monday 15th April • 10-20mg at 09:15 • 10-20mg at 13:15 • 10-20mg at 21:15 
Tuesday 16th April • 10-20mg at 09:15 

Average total daily doses: 
• 30th March – 4th April: 32mg
• 5th April – 10th April: 38mg
• 11th April – 16th April: 33mg 

I had to request clarification re the doses that are noted as 10-20mg, and their response stated that when it was noted as such they used the upper amount (so 20mg) to make their calculations. By including the dosage from the day I left the castle (on the 16th, before midday - so I had only had one dose) that skews the figures. If you do not use the dosage of the 16th, then it is clear that there was no reduction - and certainly no organised taper schedule. Why then does it state in my medical records from Castle Craig that "we tapered her off baclofen" (on page 341 of 350)? Why would they claim to have done something they had not, unless they realised that they should have?

This is not just gross medical negligence, but by lying and refusing to admit to any error, they are continuing to gaslight me. 

This is disgusting behaviour - especially from an organisation that utilises the 12 step programme, a pivotal part of which is to live life with integrity - which they demonstrably do not do themselves.

Castle Craig is an expensive but excellent resource. Some amazing staff and facilities. Beautiful location, albeit difficult because your are forced to get loved one to bring stuff. Or made to use a locally owned and expensive site.
My biggest issue with them. It you will pay a lot of money for recovery which isn’t the issue.
What they don’t make clear or tell you at all. I don’t remember ever being told. That you will lose you driving licence due to your addiction. Why the don’t make that care is unsure.
I know for a fact that people recovery from addiction choose just to ignore that.
My experience has been hugely difficult as an NHS employee I am still not allowed to drive for work.

Go on Castle be honest about this don’t just minimise this in the push for sales. I was aware of even staff having having relapse and according to the DVLA this is an offence.

So not if you got there you will lose you licence for a least a year

It's been 4 years now since my treatment at Castle Craig for my alcohol addiction. I have had treatments before in The Netherlands, just not very effective. Call them different attempts to detox. I was never treated for my CPTSD in The Netherlands despite my diagnosis.
When I first came to Castle Craig there was not a whole lot left of me. I was scared, sad, confused, malnourished and very angry, but with the guidance of my therapist Louise and others, I started to value myself again. I left Castle Craig after 3 months of treatment with quite the toolbox to fall back on. I have been sober eversince, and I look back with a warm heart to all of the staff and my peers at the time. I am looking forward to the reunion on the 30th of June. Untill then :)

Castle Craig does not live up to its reputation as a favorable hospital/ rehab. It is advisable to avoid this facility due to its inflated prices and exaggerated acclaim. The staff exhibits a lack of enthusiasm and empathy, stemming from a top-down culture that is both biased and conceited. Despite putting forth my best effort, I perceived a lack of reciprocal commitment and patience from the staff ( except for Trisha who was my therapist and I must say I got a lot out of our sessions). In my view, the facility seems to be understaffed considering the number of residents. The food quality at this facility is entirely unacceptable. As someone who follows a Muslim/Jewish vegetarian diet, abstaining from pork is a crucial dietary requirement. Despite clearly documenting this information in my file, which I personally confirmed, I was inadvertently served pork on two separate occasions. If you're a vegetarian considering this place, brace yourself for a diet primarily consisting of salads – and not the diverse kind. Expect to be limited to basic greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers, with olive oil as the only dressing option.
Additionally, obtaining alternative milk options like oat or almond milk was surprisingly challenging, especially given the high cost associated with this facility. It is disheartening that such basic dietary preferences and requirements were not adequately addressed.

I entered Castle Craig seeking help for alcohol-related issues, having previously undergone rehabilitation six years earlier. I maintained sobriety for an extended period until experiencing a relapse years later. Prior to admission, I was specifically instructed to have my home psychiatrist provide a prescription for all my medications and a summary of my long-term treatment under his care. Notably, I do not have any substance abuse problems with benzodiazepines or antidepressants.
During a Zoom session with the head psychiatrist before my arrival, I received assurance that none of my prescriptions would be altered or discontinued as long as Castle Craig received the necessary documentation from my home psychiatrist. However, on the first day at Castle Craig, I encountered a significant surprise – all of my medications, including my antidepressants, were confiscated. Despite my resistance, I was only allowed half the usual dose of one antidepressant, and my other antidepressant and benzodiazepines were completely withdrawn. This contradicted the explicit assurances provided during my pre-admission Zoom meeting.

This unexpected turn of events felt like a calculated move to exploit financial gains, creating a stark contrast to the promises made by the lead psychiatrist over Zoom. Such deceptive practices are not only unprofessional but also pose a serious threat to my mental health. Castle Craig employs inexpensive, biased, and neglectful doctors who do not adhere to any standards. They refuse to clarify the diagnosis or its implications.

Among the nursing staff, there were 3-4 exceptionally kind nurses, but unfortunately, the remainder displayed arrogance, restlessness, and a distinct lack of interest in their duties. One individual, Guy, a male nurse who appears to be working well beyond retirement age, stood out in my experience. He often spent extended periods sitting and playing his guitar in the nurses' office, and he seemed irritated whenever approached for medication or to address a query.
What troubled me more was his disregard for hygiene when dispensing my medications. He failed to use gloves every time, and I even witnessed him putting his finger in his mouth before proceeding to dispense my meds without gloves. In a separate incident, he handed me someone else's medication, which I almost took. It only became apparent that they weren't mine when he asked about my nasal spray usage. When I clarified that I didn't use nasal spray and identified myself as Sara, he hurriedly retrieved the wrong meds, took an additional 10 minutes to rectify the mistake, causing further frustration.
Despite the simplicity of having all my meds in one box, unlike other nurses who efficiently handle the task in 2 minutes, Guy consistently took 10-15 minutes each time, adding to the overall dissatisfaction with the nursing care. (to be continued in next review...)

Although my stay there was many years ago never felt I had enough self-esteem at time to say what I really thought. Also probably case of taking blame on board as I signed out. But it never was what it was cracked up to be. They claim that you need to come here to get 12-step recovery but took a fortune per week for privilege. I was told could see counsellor whenever I wanted but they were hardly ever available. You were just left sitting there endlessly with only Big Book and Blue book to read. They did these petty little checks to see if anyone was hoarding chocolate, not as if I was there for eating disorder. I got friendly with girl there and we both decided to leave this boring place together. They physically stopped us from doing so and separated us, so we both had to sign out at different times and travel back solo. Fortunately we met up with each other a while after we were separated. They also pretended that they had lost my bankcards and left me with only my bus fare. They later sent the cards in the post, by which time I'd already cancelled them and got replacements. This was a nightmare. I also remember having to speak to the doctor about my medication and thought she had real bad attitude, as if patients aren't supposed to talk to doctors about their medication. Always thought she was the one with the problem. I'm 28 years sober now, no real thanks to this place. But perhaps some seed was dropped and I realised I had to do something about myself.

Castle Craig provided me with 12 weeks of seriously needed therapy. My therapist Victoria G is just the best
David staff nurse the best and the domestic staff always friendly and helpful

They took me off 30 years of anti-depressants and all opiate based medication for which I am very grateful

The standard of care is unequaled in Europe highly recommended

My partner has serious drinking problem and went there seeking help for both of us. Not only did the program have no effect as she relapsed 2 hours after she was discharged, but it gave her an opportunity to cheat on me and destroy our relationship with another patient. On top of that the aftercare program and "support" group are inefficient and border line useless as she's drinking 2-3 bottles a day while lying to people with no regret, but is actually getting support for cheating and forcing away the only person who was actively looking after her in person for months.

Further to another review, potential victims and referrers would be well advised to check out mortality prior to checking in…
Update following Castle Craig reply:-
In case anyone is following this, here is what happened.
It was assumed that, since Castle Craig had dragged themselves in to the 21st, web-based, century, by replying to a review online, a written complaint was sent by e-mail FAO:- Governance Manager. This CoD was received:
Your message
To: Duty Information Desk Officer
Subject: Fwd: Complaint
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2021 4:39:56 PM (UTC+00:00) Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London
was read on Monday, July 26, 2021 4:52:01 PM (UTC+00:00) Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London.

To date there has been no acknowledgement, let alone response.
So, resorting to snail mail, a response has been received, by e-mail! It is generally recommended to included a proposed resolution in a complaint rather than just whingeing like Castle Craig did about Scottish drug deaths. The complaint and proposed resolution were rejected “As you are no longer a patient at Castle Craig”. The advice given, “that the DVLA can appoint a specialist” contradicts legal advice that (Castle Craig) “suggest that the DVLA may consider a second opinion combined with a series of blood or hair tests if they still had concerns about your alcohol consumption. However, as you know, we have already discussed this with the DVLA and they would not consider a second opinion.”

The DVLA and Castle Craig will be pursued for clarification and further details posted.

Generally, reviews are, by definition, subjective. The purpose of this review is to encourage anyone thinking of referring themselves or any one else to Castle Craig to do some objective analysis. It is enlightening to read the HIS report Castle Craig herald as exceptional.
In a previous appeal, which was summarily rejected, appeal to HCIS(sic) was encouraged. The following response was received:
“We are unable to investigate:
ꞏ clinical decisions about treatment/care received
ꞏ a request for a second opinion relating to treatment/care
ꞏ ethical standards of an individual registered healthcare professional”

It is also enlightening to read past news about Castle Craig and former staff reviews.

Being at Castle Craig has given me a second chance at life. I am now a year sober and would never be able to have reached this place in my life without the kindness and support shown to me during my time here. From the bottom of my heart thank you!

Staff and therapists at Castle Craig helped me to accept my illness and to find tools to help me live a life that is not dependent on drugs.
Being in a beautiful relaxing setting with lovely staff and patients was a bonus. During my time there for drug detox, I found that the group sessions helped me the most, hearing from others who have struggled.
I’m now attending NA meetings to help me keep clean and feeling very proud.

I felt that after my experience at Castle Craig it was important to share my very positive feedback.
When I arrived I was in a very bad way, and staying alive was my main concern!
Thanks to the incredible care of all the nurses, therapists and psychiatrists at the rehab clinic; I am now sober and in a place where I can live a life that is purposeful and not just living day to day.
The friends I have met in rehab are amazing, better than my drinking mates.
I was provided with so many tools to help me once my stay had finished and I left rehab which was a bit scary to say the least. I’ve been sober for 9 months now.