《中英對照讀新聞》British nurses "quitting" over house prices 英國護士因為房價「辭職」

◎ 羅彥傑

British nurses are being forced to give up the profession because they cannot afford to buy houses, the Royal College of Nursing（RCN） said.

英國護士陸續被迫放棄這行飯，因為她們買不起房子，「皇家護理學院」（RCN）說。

The RCN said frustrated nurses were quitting to seek better-paid jobs or were having to take on extra work to try and get on the property ladder.

RCN說，心生挫折的護士陸續辭掉工作，尋找待遇更佳的工作或想辦法賺外快，試圖爬上置產的階梯。

The government has introduced a Key Worker Living Scheme to help public service employees such as nurses and teachers buy a home.

政府已引進一項「關鍵勞工生活方案」，以協助諸如護士與教師等公家事業員工購屋。

But the RCN said the cash allocated for the scheme had been almost fully committed in some areas while many nurses were excluded, including those outside the south-east of England and overseas nurses on work permits.

但RCN說，這項方案分配到的資金幾乎都被用於某些地區，許多護士被排除在外，包括那些在英格蘭東南部以外的護士以及拿工作許可證的海外護士。

"It's very disturbing to find nurses considering leaving the profession because they can't afford their own homes," said Claire Cannings, the RCN's welfare officer.

「發現有護士因為買不起房子而考慮改行，令人感到非常不安，」RCN福利處官員克萊兒．坎寧斯說。

"The key worker scheme is over-stretched and the money is already running out. For the many nurses who aren't eligible for this scheme, it can seem extremely unfair."

「關鍵勞工方案太過浮濫，而且錢已經花光光。對許多不適用這項方案的護士而言，它可能顯得極不公平。」

新聞辭典

profession：名詞，職業，尤其指需要專門知識或特殊訓練的職業。例句：He is a carpenter by profession.（他以木工為業。）

allocate：動詞，分配、分派。例句：The teacher allocates task among students.（老師在學生之間分派工作。）

over-stretched：形容詞，過度伸展，引申浮濫之意。例句：An over-stretched social welfare system will benefit nobody.（浮濫的社會福利制度對大家都沒有好處。）

run out： 用完、耗盡。例句：Time is running out.（剩下的時間不多了。）