Senior lecturer struck off nursing register after groping student

Henry Mutasa, formerly of Ramsey, 'demonstrated a repeated pattern of behaviour'

A senior lecturer in mental health nursing has been struck off the nursing register after groping a student nurse.

Henry Cleopus Fadzai Mutasa was working for University College Isle of Man (UCM) when the incidents occurred between September 2019 and May 2023.

Mr Mutasa was also a doctor employed by Manx Care at the time.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) found that he groped the breast and bum of a student nurse, referred to during the hearing as Student A.

"He was standing very close to me. Henry put his arm round my shoulder, from my left side and his hand was resting on my breast. I thought it must have been a mistake as we were in a field full of people. 

"I adjusted my body to remove his hand and I thought that, if he realised he had touched my breast, he would be horrified. I thought he would have removed his hand.

"However, his hand then slipped down to my bum and he rested his hand on the right side of my bum instead. At that point, I was still thinking that it wasn’t intentional. I didn’t know this man." - Student A's written statement

He also put his arm around the waist of a second student nurse (Student B) and put his head on her shoulder.

These actions were deemed to be 'sexually motivated in that he sought sexual gratification'.

The panel found that there was 'no justification for Mr Mutasa’s behaviour, and that he abused his position of authority as a senior nurse/lecturer with no prior personal relationship with Students A and B'.

It also found that Mr Mutasa’s actions were 'highly inappropriate, amounting to misconduct'. 

Furthermore, the panel noted that 'by inappropriately touching both Students A and B, Mr Mutasa demonstrated a repeated pattern of behaviour, indicating deep-seated attitudinal behaviour'.

"Henry came up behind me and put his arms around my waist and clasped his hands to the front of me and put his head on my shoulder. 

"I thought it was an odd thing to do I removed his hands and walked off." - Student B's written statement

Additionally, it was also found that he had bullied a third student nurse (Student C) by raising his voice and banging his hands on the table.

In relation to Student C, he also denied their request to have another member of staff present during a meeting, refused to let them leave the meeting, and later disclosed confidential information relating to the student to another student.

The panel found that Mr Mutasa’s conduct 'undermined Student C’s confidence and could have discouraged her from pursuing her nursing training to its full potential'. 

It noted that 'by bullying and intimidating Student C, Mr Mutasa’s conduct demonstrates a serious deep-seated attitudinal concern'.

The panel found that 'this behaviour from a senior nurse and nurse lecturer in a position of authority was a sufficient departure from the standards expected of a registered nurse and amounts to serious misconduct'.

It also noted that 'although Mr Mutasa’s actions did not occur in the course of direct clinical practice, they are closely linked to his professional role and clinical practice, and therefore [he should have engaged] the standards expected of a registered nurse'.

"He also banged his hands on the desk, he reached across the table when he banged his hands.

The desk was wide, maybe 5 – 6 feet, and he slammed his hands on his side but he was leaning across the table, and I felt extremely uncomfortable." - Student C's written statement