The man who has fought a 30-year campaign to improve the lot of the British worker is among the leading health figures recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

Professor Cary Cooper, head of organisational psychology and health at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, has been made a CBE.

Professor Cooper's high media profile has made him a powerful advocate in the campaign for an end to the culture of excessive working hours in the UK.

I just want to make sure that there is a better balance between home and work

Professor Cary Cooper

He believes the imbalance balance between work and home life causes a huge amount of misery, both to the individual and their family.

Professor Cooper, an American by birth who took British citizenship a decade ago, told BBC News Online he was "really pleased" that his work had been recognised.

He said: "I just want to make sure that there is a better balance between home and work.

"Both partners now work in two out of three couples, and we have one of the highest divorce rates in Europe."

Professor Cooper said many companies demanded total commitment from their staff, but were then prepared to let people go when times got tough.

"That is not a good psychological contract, the contract should be more two way.

"However, UK PLC is getting better and better, and people are now actually listening. What we need now is action."

Leading cancer figure

Professor Peter Selby CBE

A leading figure in the fight against cancer has also been made a CBE.

Professor Peter Selby is Director of Clinical Research at Imperial Cancer Research Fund and a special adviser to the Chief Medical Officer.

He has also been the lead clinician at the Leeds Cancer Centre since 1997.

Professor Selby's research has centred on developing new ways to treat cancer, and on providing adequate psychological and social support for cancer patients.

He is currently working on a promising new vaccine for cancer of the kidney.

He told BBC News Online: "We have got some of the best research in the world, but our outcomes are less good than in some Western European countries.

"If we had more resources and a better organisation of services we could catch up in the space of five to ten years."

Other awards

Three leading women in the field of health and medicine have been made Dames in the Birthday Honours.

They are:

• Karlene Davis, the general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives.
• Belfast-based academic Professor Ingrid Allen, for services to medical research.
• Professor Lesley Rees, director of education at the Royal College of Physicians, for services to medical education.

Other leading health figures to be made CBE include:

• Professor Elizabeth Anionwu, head of the Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing Practice at Thames Valley University, for services to nursing.
• Professor Rajinder Bhopal, of the University of Edinburgh, for services to public health medicine.
• Professor Peter Fleming, of the University of Bristol, for services to the understanding of cot death.
• Mr Jeffrey Jay, a consultant Ophthalmologist at Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow, for services to Ophthalmology.
• Susan Jennings, director of the National Patients Access Team, for services to the NHS.
• Lucianne Sawyer, president of the UK Home Care Association, for services to health care.
• Professor Peter Smith, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, for services to the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee and to tropical disease research.
• Professor Nigel Stott, of Gower, Swansea, for services to primary care and general practice medicine.