‘Improper conduct’: New Norfolk paramedic loses job battle after ping pong ball episode

“Lego, marbles, insects, and sex toys.” A New Norfolk paramedic sacked for trying to remove a ping pong ball from a woman’s body claimed removing foreign objects was a “quite common” part of the job.

New Norfolk paramedic Bryce Duggan worked for Ambulance Tasmania for 45 years. Picture: Matt Thompson

A New Norfolk paramedic in the job since the 1970s has been sacked after he improperly tried to remove a ping pong ball from a woman’s body.

Bryce Duggan began working with Ambulance Tasmania in 1977, but that all came to an end after a fateful nightshift call-out to Old Beach in December 2020.

According to a Tasmanian Industrial Commission (TIC) decision, Mr Duggan was sacked over the incident in June 2022 and has since waged an unfair dismissal case.

At 4.40am on the day in question, Mr Duggan and a female ambulance volunteer attended the home of a woman with a ping pong ball stuck in her vagina, and who couldn’t get it out herself despite her apparent attempts over the course of several hours.

Mr Duggan undertook an examination of the woman with a torch and a pair of Magill forceps, which are typically used in the mouth and throat.

Ambulance Tasmania said such an examination was inappropriate, improper, and not conduct a paramedic should have undertaken.

It also argued that attempting to remove the ball – which Mr Duggan denied he’d done – was outside his authority of practice and a reason for termination.

TIC president David Barclay noted the woman’s case had been triaged as the lowest category of seriousness, with non-life-threatening injuries.

The patient, who waited five-and-a-half hours for an ambulance, said she was “pretty good”, “just laying there” and had been sleeping, and was advised there would be delays in attending to her.

Bryce Duggan pictured at the Ambulance Station, Circle Street, New Norfolk. Picture: Matt Thompson

When Mr Duggan and his colleague arrived, he inserted the forceps and made contact with the ball, determining it would not be easily removed and taking the woman to the Royal Hobart Hospital.

He told an investigator the woman had been adamant she didn’t want to go to hospital, and asked him to remove the ball instead.

He said his volunteer helped and was in attendance throughout the entire examination, and that it was “quite common” for paramedics to assist in removing objects such as “Lego, marbles, insects, and sex toys”.

Mr Barclay said before the TIC, he found Mr Duggan attempted to minimise any aspects of evidence that were not in his favour, and was prone to exaggeration.

He said it had not been necessary for an ambulance to be dispatched at all, and found Mr Duggan had indeed tried to remove the ball – without appropriate training, outside his scope of practice, and with an inappropriate instrument.

The TIC, noting Mr Duggan had a history of “inappropriate or questionable conduct” at work – including unlawfully carrying capsicum spray at work, using Ambulance Tasmania vehicles to spread manure on his property, and allegations of sexual harassment, upheld the decision to terminate his employment.

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