来源：《每日电讯报》
原文刊登日期：2022年6月29日
The first results from the 2021 census indicate that the population of the UK is now around 67 million. It has grown slightly more slowly over the past 10 years than in the previous decade but the proportion of older people has increased at a faster pace. These figures are close to the projections made by the Office for National Statistics so come as no great surprise and yet they are startling nonetheless.
2021人口普查的初步结果表明，英国目前的人口约为6700万。过去10年，人口增长速度比上一个10年略慢，但老年人比例的增长速度更快。这些数字与国家统计局的预测非常接近，因此不足为奇，但仍然令人震惊。
Not that long ago the population was expected to decline because the birth rate was below replacement levels. But people living longer, combined with high levels of immigration, have countered that trend. The consequences have been profound on the provision of public services like health care, housing, transport and education. It has not been possible to maintain the spending needed for such a large population.
不久以前，预计人口会下降，因为出生率低于更替水平。但是，人们的寿命延长，加上移民数量的高水平，已经抵消了下降的趋势。这对医疗保健、住房、交通和教育等公共服务的提供产生了深远的影响。要满足如此庞大人口的需求不增加开支是不可能的。
With the economy feeling the chill winds of an approaching recession and elevated inflation, groups of workers are agitating for higher pay from funds that simply no longer exist after the vast outlay on Covid. The British Medical Association is demanding a 30 per cent rise for doctors over five years which, if conceded, would also have to be paid to nurses and other health staff, soon eating up the extra cash pumped into the system by putting up National Insurance contributions. That money was supposed to be redirected to social care after a few years, so where will the funds for reform in that sector come from?
随着经济感受到衰退临近和通胀上升的寒风，工人群体正在鼓动从现有资金中获得更高的薪酬，而在新冠疫情的巨额支出之后，这些资金已经不复存在。英国医学协会要求在5年内给医生加薪30%，如果妥协，护士和其他医护人员也必须得到加薪，很快就会消耗掉因提高国民保险缴款而获得的额外资金。这些钱本应在几年后重新用于社会护理，那么该部门的改革资金从何而来？
A pay rise must be linked to reforms that will markedly improve productivity and efficiency. Given the parlous state of the NHS, the BMA should be focusing on how to arrest its total collapse, not just asking for more money.
加薪必须与能显著提高生产率和效率的改革挂钩。考虑到NHS的危险状态，英国医学协会应该关注如何阻止NHS全面崩溃，而不仅仅是要求更多的资金。