Home alcohol detox in
Reading
We provide supervised alcohol detox in your own home across Reading.
Registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC)Location ID 1-25982212615View our CQC profile
A consultant psychiatrist prescribes, a registered nurse visits you, and a prescriber is on call 24 hours a day during your detox. Reading's free service is run by Change Grow Live on Oxford Road, and the town's A&E is at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
How home alcohol detox works in Reading
Home alcohol detox with Ash Rehab follows the same steps wherever you live. It starts with a free triage call with our clinical team, by phone or video. If home detox looks right, our consultant psychiatrist assesses you by video and reviews your blood tests before anything is prescribed. On the day you start, a registered nurse visits you at home with your first supply of medicine, which is reduced over 7 to 10 days. At each visit your nurse checks your withdrawal score, pulse, blood pressure and temperature, and a prescriber is available by phone 24 hours a day during your detox. A responsible adult stays with you for the first 72 hours, or a trained member of our team if you choose our Enhanced + Supporter programme. Before your detox ends, we agree a written relapse-prevention plan with you, and we call you at 1, 4 and 12 weeks afterwards.
- Free triage call. A confidential phone or video call with our clinical team, in most cases on the day you get in touch.
- Assessment and blood tests. Our consultant psychiatrist assesses you by video and reviews your blood results before writing your detox plan.
- Nurse visits at home. A registered nurse visits you at home, checks your withdrawal on the CIWA-Ar scale and reports to your prescriber.
- Aftercare and relapse prevention. Before your detox ends, we agree a written relapse-prevention plan. With your agreement, we send your GP a summary when your detox finishes. You can ask us not to.
Every programme includes
- A free, confidential triage call by phone or video
- A clinical assessment by video with our consultant psychiatrist
- Blood tests before anything is prescribed
- A personalised detox plan and all the medication it needs
- Nurse visits at home throughout your detox
- CIWA-Ar withdrawal monitoring at every visit
- A prescriber on call 24 hours a day during your detox
- A written emergency plan and relapse-prevention plan
- With your agreement, we send your GP a summary when your detox finishes. You can ask us not to.
Every nurse visit is a booked appointment at your home. We confirm visit times when we assess you.
Areas and postcodes we cover around Reading
| Postcode district | Areas |
|---|---|
| RG1 | Reading town centre, Katesgrove, Coley |
| RG2 | Whitley, Lower Earley (Reading part) |
| RG4 | Caversham, Emmer Green |
| RG30 | West Reading, Southcote |
| RG31 | Tilehurst |
Earley and Woodley (RG5, RG6) are in Wokingham Borough and appear on our Berkshire page. Parts of RG30 and RG31 are in West Berkshire.
Call us on 0330 043 9963 to confirm coverage for your postcode.
Free alcohol support in Reading
You do not have to pay for help with alcohol. If you live in Reading, you can contact the free local service.
Reading Drug and Alcohol Service
Change Grow Live, for Reading Borough Council.
- Phone: 0118 955 7333
- Address: 127 Oxford Road, Reading RG1 7UU
- More about Reading Drug and Alcohol Service
Free for adults in Reading. Appointments are made by phone: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9:30am to 4pm, Wednesday 12pm to 4pm. Reading Borough Council lists community detoxes among the service's support.
Other free support
- SOURCE: under-18s in Reading. Reading's young people's drug and alcohol service. Phone 0118 937 5666. More about SOURCE: under-18s in Reading
- Drinkline. Free, confidential national alcohol helpline. Phone 0300 123 1110. More about Drinkline
Talking to your GP in Reading
You can phone Change Grow Live directly to book an appointment, so you don't need your GP first. Your GP can also refer you, and can check your physical health before you stop drinking.
With your agreement, we send your GP a summary when your detox finishes. You can ask us not to.
Local NHS services are planned by NHS Thames Valley Integrated Care Board.
If you become unwell during detox in Reading
Call 999 if you have a seizure, see or hear things that are not there, become very confused, or have chest pain. During your detox you can also call our prescriber 24 hours a day.
Royal Berkshire Hospital
A&E. Run by Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. Craven Road, Reading RG1 5AN. Reading's emergency department.
Meetings and peer support near Reading
Alcoholics Anonymous
AA Thames Valley Intergroup lists meetings in the area, including:
- Reading Hospital Newcomers
- Reading Round Robin
- Reading Big Book Study
- Reading Lunchtime As Bill Sees It
- Reading Living Sober
- Reading Step and Share
- Reading Daily Reflections
- Reading Emotional Sobriety
- Calcot Newcomers
- Tilehurst Newcomers
Al-Anon, for families and friends
- Reading Monday, Mondays, Watlington House, 44 Watlington Street, Reading RG1 4RJ
Find a SMART Recovery meeting, using SMART Recovery UK's own finder.
A SMART Recovery meeting runs at Change Grow Live, 127 Oxford Road, on the second Saturday of the month. AA's national helpline is 0800 917 7650.
Meetings change. Check the official finder before you go.
Support for family and friends in Reading
- Reading and West Berkshire Carers Partnership. Support for unpaid carers, including families of people who drink. Phone 0118 959 4242. More about Reading and West Berkshire Carers Partnership
- Reading Borough Council: carers advice. The council's advice and signposting team for adults and carers. Phone 0118 937 3747. More about Reading Borough Council: carers advice
Al-Anon's national helpline, for anyone affected by someone else's drinking, is 0800 0086 811.
Home alcohol detox in Reading: your questions
Is there a free alcohol service in Reading?
Yes. Change Grow Live runs Reading's free drug and alcohol service at 127 Oxford Road. Call 0118 955 7333 to book an appointment.
Where is the A&E in Reading?
The Royal Berkshire Hospital on Craven Road. Call 999 for a seizure, hallucinations or severe confusion. During your detox our prescriber is also available 24 hours a day.
Do you cover Caversham, Tilehurst, Earley and Woodley?
Yes. Caversham and Tilehurst are on this page. Earley and Woodley are in Wokingham Borough, so their details are on our Berkshire page.
Why choose a private detox if the Reading service is free?
Many people should use the free service, and we'll tell you if it suits you better. People choose us when they want to start quickly, prefer nurse visits at home, or want a consultant psychiatrist overseeing their prescription.
Nearby areas we cover
Local information checked 22 October 2026. Sources:
- reading.gov.uk/adult-care/public-health-and-staying-well/support-with-drugs-and-alcohol
- changegrowlive.org/drug-alcohol-service-reading
- talktofrank.com/treatment-centre/cgl-drug-and-alcohol-service-reading
- find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010078-2026/PDF
- royalberkshire.nhs.uk/services-and-departments/emergency-department/minor-injuries-unit
- alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/intergroups/thames-valley-intergroup
- al-anonuk.org.uk/groups/reading-monday
- smartrecovery.org.uk/meetings/1412
- carerspartnership.org.uk
A prescribing doctor.
From your sofa.
Your first step is a free clinical triage call with our clinical team, by phone or video. If home detox looks right, our consultant psychiatrist assesses you by video before anything is prescribed. No waiting room, no clinic. Our online check is 4 questions, about a minute. Answered honestly, it helps show whether a home detox is the right setting for this moment in your life.