Peter Baker, men’s health campaigner and Campaign Director for HPV Action, was presented with the third annual Outstanding Contribution to Championing the Public’s Health Award at the RSPH Awards 2018.

The Award recognises Peter’s tireless work to reduce the public health burden of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Having worked in men’s health for many years, Peter Baker has been the Campaign Director of HPV Action since 2013. HPV Action is a collaborative partnership of more than 50 organisations, including RSPH, who together campaigned for gender-neutral vaccination against the HPV virus. After five years of campaigning, led by Peter, HPV Action achieved its goal and the gender-neutral vaccination programme is expected to be rolled out nationally from September 2019.

Peter has been essential to HPV Action’s work and is at the heart of its success in getting boys vaccinated against HPV. It is expected that the universal vaccination programme will reduce rates of cancer and genital warts, with 2,000 men in the UK every year currently developing a cancer caused by HPV.

Peter follows celebrity chef and child obesity campaigner Jamie Oliver, and actor and campaigner Michael Sheen, in receiving the prestigious outstanding contribution award.

The RSPH Awards, an annual celebration of achievement in the public health community, were held last night at the East Wintergarden in London and are the UK’s premier national health and wellbeing awards.

Shirley Cramer CBE, Chief Executive of RSPH, said: “Peter has worked tirelessly over the past five years to ensure boys will be protected against the HPV virus. His work with HPV Action has been inspiring, and we were delighted when the government’s decision to roll-out a gender neutral programme was announced in July this year.

“As well as his work on the gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme, Peter has been at the centre of work on men’s health for nearly twenty years. He is a worthy recipient of this prestigious award.”

Receiving the award, Peter Baker said: “I am delighted to receive this award in recognition of HPV Action’s achievement of gender-neutral HPV vaccination. This long-overdue and vital public health measure will undoubtedly save lives, reduce suffering and benefit both men and women. Our work now is to ensure that it is implemented quickly and effectively.”