Sam Tate worked for Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust at the time
Oscar Fisher Trainee Reporter
06:00, 06 Jul 2026
He was convicted at Nottingham Crown Court(Image: Nottingham Post)
A children’s mental health nurse has been banned after being caught with indecent images of youngsters.
Police raided the Nottinghamshire address of Sam Tate, a registered nurse at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, in November 2024 after receiving intelligence suggesting he was in possession of the indecent images.
The crisis lead nurse in Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), who was employed by the trust at the time, was arrested, interviewed and bailed on suspicion of possessing one category A image – the most severe kind.
He was eventually charged in January last year with three offences of making indecent images, and was convicted at Nottingham Crown Court the following July.
He was found to have made two category A images, three category B images and five category C images.
Tate was given a suspended sentence, ordered to complete a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and unpaid work, placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years, and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.
A Nursing and Midwifery Council review has now taken place to assess Tate’s fitness to practice.
The regulatory panel classified Tate’s conduct as a “highest risk case” due to the nature of the child exploitation images and his sensitive role working with vulnerable young people.
The panel heavily criticised Tate’s lack of genuine remorse, noting that a written reflection he submitted prior to his conviction focused primarily on his own “overwhelming sadness”, the embarrassment of the police investigation, and the personal consequences of losing his job.
The panel found he failed to acknowledge the devastating impact of his actions on the exploited children, his patients, or the reputation of the nursing profession.
“The panel is of the view that there is a risk of repetition based on the limited insight and lack of remediation,” the report says.
“The panel noted that in his written reflection dated [February 2025], Mr Tate appeared to be in denial about the nature of his offending.
“Given his limited insight and no updated reflection or further information, the panel determined that there was still a risk that he could be liable to repeat matters of the kind found proved.
“The panel therefore decided that a finding of impairment is necessary on the grounds of public protection.”
Having regard to all of the above, the panel was satisfied that Mr Tate’s fitness to practise is currently impaired.
“The panel has considered this case very carefully and has decided to make a striking-off order,” it continued.
“It directs the registrar to strike Mr Tate off the register.”
Concluding the hearing, the panel stated that his behaviour was a “significant departure from the standards expected of a registered nurse” and breached the fundamental tenets of the profession.
They determined that any sanction less than a strike-off would fail to protect the public or uphold confidence in the healthcare system.
Tate has been handed a striking-off order, along with an 18-month interim suspension order to cover the standard 28-day appeal window before his removal from the medical register becomes permanent.