Meet our new Deputy Director of Nursing: Percy Watungwa
Percy Watungwa has been a qualified nurse for over 20 years. He spent the last 11 years at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) before joining South West London and St George’s in February 2026 as our Deputy Director of Nursing.
Percy brings a wealth of senior leadership experience and a strong commitment to compassionate, high‑quality care. He plays a key role in providing nursing leadership across the Trust, with a focus on improving quality, addressing health inequalities and tackling racism, while working in close partnership with service users, carers and colleagues.
Percy’s motivation to become a nurse began early in life. As a child, he saw first-hand the impact of illness when his mother suffered a stroke.
“That experience showed me how important good health services are,” he says. “I talked about it when I applied for my student nursing place, and it has stayed with me ever since. It drives my passion for nursing and my desire to be the best nurse I can be.”
Although Percy’s background is in physical health nursing, his career has increasingly brought him into mental health services. At CNWL, Percy’s portfolio included eating disorders services, children and young people’s mental health services (CAMHS) and acute mental health care.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Percy also had the opportunity to return to patient-facing care, working on an older adult’s mental health ward.
“I hadn’t worked directly with patients for a few years, so it was an amazing experience to return to patient care,” he reflects. “It also made me realise how much I can contribute as a physical health nurse in mental health settings.”
In his role, one of Percy’s priorities is encouraging pride in nursing. “We care for people at some of the most vulnerable times in their lives – how many people can say they do that? It’s something to be proud of,” he says.
“When we take pride in our work, we set high standards for ourselves and each other. It’s about holding ourselves accountable, challenging each other, having open conversations, and always learning.”
For Percy, it’s the people he works with every day who make the job so rewarding.
“I still find myself thinking how lucky I am to do this job – I don’t take it for granted,” he says. “I really enjoy working with colleagues and with patients, and listening to people’s stories means a lot to me.
“There’s a patient at Springfield Hospital who always stops to talk and tell me about his day. I really value those moments, and I hope they make a difference to him too.”
Outside of work, Percy looks after his own mental health and wellbeing by staying active and spending time with his family. “I take part in my local parkrun every Saturday, and I often go for a run after a busy or stressful day. It helps clear my head.” he says. “I’m nearly at my 200th parkrun!"
“I also enjoy spending time at home with my family and walking the dog. Family time is very important to me.”
A message for nurses on International Nurses' Day
Reflecting on International Nurses' Day, Percy’s message for nursing colleagues across the Trust is:
“We don’t always recognise how amazing our work is. You are all doing incredible work, and you are valued. Take time to celebrate what you do and build on it so we can keep improving our standards.”
