Review into death of Longford woman Bryonny Sainsbury ‘should be released to family’

An independent review into the circumstances of the death of young Longford woman and talented hairdresser Bryonny Sainsbury ‘should be released to the family’.

That was the view expressed by Tánaiste Micheál Martin after the matter was raised in the Dáil by local TD Joe Flaherty. 

Deputy Flaherty outlined that a verdict of medical misadventure was recorded at the inquest into the death of Newtownforbes business woman Bryonny Sainsbury who suffered a catalogue of failures while being treated at Mullingar hospital. 

He continued, “At the two-day inquest the family heard harrowing details of how their daughter died. A combination of failures and shortcomings in her care led to a death that was treatable and avoidable.”

Deputy Flaherty highlighted that in January 2023, the family was told it would take 125 days to complete an independent review and that the findings would be available to the family in or around June 24. “Yet, eight months on and despite multiple requests, the family still has not been issued with the findings of this review.”

He concluded, “Many times in this House I have heard assurances that the HSE was no longer wedded to a policy of frustrating delays and confrontation with families in cases such as Bryonny's. I ask the Tánaiste to contact Ireland East Hospital Group and direct it to release the draft report to the grieving Sainsbury family.”

In response, Tánaiste Micheál Martin thanked Deputy Flaherty for raising the case of Bryonny Sainsbury. “Again I offer sincere sympathies to the family although words are no consolation when such a dreadful death happens and particularly a death through medical misadventure. I will talk to the Minister for Health and ask him to ask the authority to release the report. The report should be released to the family, given all the trauma it has gone through.”