Erna McGuinness, 67, died in January 2022 after a botched procedure to remove a suspected cyst on her foot in August 2020. Her daughter, Eileen McGuinness, 36, claims a doctor at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow used unclean scissors to cut into her mother's foot, leaving a gaping wound that led to septic shock and the eventual amputation of her left leg.
Procedure gone wrong
Erna had attended the hospital for a routine annual scan of a suspected cyst. However, according to Eileen, the doctor refused to perform the scan and instead decided to remove the mass with scissors that were "not clean." The procedure was done without anaesthetic, and Erna reportedly pleaded with the doctor to stop, saying "that's sore" and "you're hurting me." After the procedure, the wound was simply bandaged, and by 2pm the same day, Erna went into septic shock and was rushed back to hospital in an ambulance.
Amputation and death
At the hospital, surgeons had to amputate Erna's left leg to save her life. The family sought legal action in September 2021, but after delays, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde offered to settle the case outside of court for a five-figure sum, which Eileen accepted in November 2025. Erna was left bed-bound after the amputation, and her "lifestyle declined," leading to her death in January 2022. The doctor involved is no longer employed by NHSGGC.
Family's ordeal
Eileen said: "I don't know if she was the first person to be wronged by this person. I still see that picture of her foot after it happened when I go to bed at night. They actually nearly killed the woman. She said to me 'make sure they don't get away with what happens to me'. I wanted to be mum's voice, but I was under so much pressure." Eileen described the scissors as "like the wee ones you use to cut nose hair with." She added that her mother had COPD but was otherwise active, going to bingo every night and hosting large family gatherings. "It killed her in the end - it destroyed her," Eileen said. "The things I read in the report, I didn't realise how low she was at the time. She basically wanted to end her life because she couldn't live in the pain and misery she was in."
Legal case and settlement
The legal case was set to go to the high court in March 2025 but was delayed by the NHS, which Eileen said was "dragging their heels." It was rescheduled for May 2026, but in November 2025, the NHS offered a settlement. After six years of back and forth, Eileen accepted the five-figure sum. "I was so tired after six years of back and forward I couldn't do it any longer," she said.
NHS response
A spokesperson for NHSGGC said: "While we cannot comment on the details of any patient's care, our sympathies remain with the family of Erna McGuinness. We recognise the care Erna received was not what should have been expected, and we are deeply sorry for her experience and the impact this had. This case was the subject of legal proceedings, which have now concluded."
