The government's chief medical officer has called for a review of the cosmetic surgery sector after a survey suggested that many clinics fail to carry out proper checks on their staff.

Published on Tuesday, the report by the National Care Standards Commission found few means of monitoring the success of work performed by surgeons in some practices, while advertisements could contain misleading statements.

In their analysis of small and medium-sized businesses, the Commission found very few systems for taking patients' views and - while complaints procedures were in place - many failed to help those patients unsatisfied with the service provided.

"There is no excuse for not carrying out proper checks on consultants, and their qualifications, and good records management is essential for tracking patients' history and monitoring clinical activity," said NCSC chief executive Ron Kerr.

"These elementary procedures provide vital safeguards for patients and contribute to good patient-centred care."

The Commission, established in 2000, recommends that new self-assessments measures be put in place to monitor the performance of surgeons.

Chief medical officer, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, has supported calls for a more thorough review, describing the report as the "beginnings of scrutiny in this area of private healthcare".

"I would now like to see a full review of cosmetic surgery practice across England and I am in discussion with the NCSC as to how this might be taken forward," he said.