Objectives: To examine compliance with routine metabolic monitoring at four rehabilitation facilities within the Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Services in Queensland.

Methods: A retrospective chart audit was undertaken on 63 residents of rehabilitation facilities with electronic health records from 1 October 2014 to 30 March 2015.

Results: Evidence of any metabolic monitoring was recorded for 87% of residents. Compliance rates differed for monitoring waist circumference (97%), blood pressure (97%), high-density lipoprotein (79%), triglycerides (81%) and plasma glucose (83%). Evidence of communication with residents and primary healthcare providers were each found in 41% of the sample.

Conclusions: In current clinical practice, metabolic monitoring is high for residents of rehabilitation facilities in Queensland with serious mental illness. However, many residents do not receive adequate communication regarding their results and, disturbingly, results are not forwarded to their primary healthcare providers. This can result in people not receiving treatment for modifiable factors of metabolic syndrome.