New patronages announced for Duchess of Cambridge in field of global health

The Duchess of Cambridge has become patron of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Nursing Now campaign, a global initiative to raise the status and profile of nurses.

Kate, who is expecting her third child in April, takes up her new positions ahead of a visit later on Tuesday to the London headquarters of the RCOG.

The duchess will also visit St Thomas' Hospital in the capital to officially launch the Nursing Now campaign and during the event will visit a specialist ward, take part in a roundtable discussion and deliver a speech to mark the start of the worldwide initiative.

Kensington Palace said the visits would see the duchess learning about and supporting women's healthcare and global health work, and championing the professionals who work on the front line.

Professor Lesley Regan, president of the RCOG, said she was "thrilled" Kate had accepted the organisation's invitation to be its patron.

She added: "We are very grateful to Her Royal Highness whose support will help to raise our profile as a medical charity that champions the provision of high quality women's healthcare at home and beyond.

"We know that maternal health and mental well being is an issue close to the duchess's heart, as a young mother herself."

The RCOG is a medical charity that champions the provision of high quality women's healthcare in the UK and beyond, by setting standards for clinical practice, providing doctors with training and lifelong learning, and advocating for women's healthcare worldwide.

Founded in 1929, the College now has more than 16,000 members globally, and works with a range of partners both in the UK and abroad to encourage the study of obstetrics and gynaecology and advance its science and practice.

Prof Regan added: "We hope that this new relationship will build on our work to improve healthcare for women everywhere, and ensure that women's views on the care they receive are at the heart of everything we do."

Nursing Now aims to support nurses to become leaders so they can play a greater role in health policy decision-making, helping countries meet the pressing health challenges of the modern-day world.

Kate will visit the Snow Leopard ward at St Thomas' Hospital to learn first-hand about the work the nurses do in caring for children who need help breathing to stay alive. The nurse-led team trains carers and relatives how to use the children's ventilation equipment to prepare them for going home.

The campaign is being run as a programme of the Burdett Trust for Nursing, in collaboration with the International Council of Nurses and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Lord Nigel Crisp, co-chair of the Nursing Now campaign, said: "Our campaign aims to improve health globally by raising the profile and status of nurses worldwide - influencing policymakers and supporting nurses themselves to lead, learn and build a global movement.

"We are delighted to have a patron with such a strong commitment to nursing and a history in her family of volunteer nurses. We look forward to working with Her Royal Highness as we support nursing and nurses across the world."