■英國首相文翠珊（右一）出席紀念考克斯的活動。考克斯生前成立委員會，研究孤獨對社會的危害。 網上圖片【原文】下文摘錄自香港《文匯報》2018年1月19日報道：
都市生活忙碌，很多人難以與伴侶親友相聚和傾訴心事，特別是長者，這情況引起英國社會關注。首相文翠珊（Theresa May）1月17日宣佈，委任一名「孤獨事務大臣」（Minister for Loneliness）應對國民孤獨（loneliness/solitude）問題，政府將與公共服務機構、義務組織、社會和商界合作，加強社區融合（integration），政府將於年內公佈一份完整策略。紅十字會（Red Cross）形容，孤獨和孤立（isolation）的生活已成為「隱形疫症（epidemic）」，影響所有年齡層的健康。
損害健康等同日吸15支煙
英國政府對孤獨問題的重視，源於已故前工黨（Labour Party）女議員考克斯（Jo Cox），她生前成立委員會（committee），研究孤獨對社會的危害。考克斯前年遭極右分子（far-right activist）槍殺後，委員會繼續她留下的工作，並於上月發表報告，指出孤獨影響英國逾900萬人，損害健康的程度等同每日吸15支煙（cigarette）。
文翠珊任命體育與公民社會政務次官（Minister for Sport and Civil Society）克勞奇（Tracey Crouch）擔任「孤獨事務大臣」，她表示，孤獨是生活中令人傷感的（upsetting）現實，希望所有人共同採取行動，協助那些難與他人傾訴的群體對抗孤獨，包括長者、看護人員或失去至愛的人。
英國政府同時宣佈一系列措施，包括設立研究各年齡層的孤獨感指標，用於大規模研究；設立基金資助（subsidize）社區舉行活動，加強居民之間的聯繫，並提升支援受孤獨感困擾的（loneliness-stricken）人士，協助他們重新與社區建立關係。
專家：簡單陪伴已足夠
一項對心臟病患者的研究指出，獨居的患者較共居者面臨更大死亡風險。長者慈善組織（charity）Age UK發現，20萬長者曾在逾一個月的時間內，沒與朋友或親人談話。殘疾慈善組織Scope的調查顯示，85%的年輕殘疾（disabled）成年人感到孤獨。
英國國家醫療服務系統（National Health Service，NHS）首席護理士長卡明斯（Jane Cummings）上月指出，冬天可增加中風和心臟病病發率，而孤獨問題令病情惡化。她建議「簡單的陪伴（companionship）」已可大有幫助，包括定期探訪年長的朋友、家庭成員和鄰居，為他們購買日用品和藥物。
Britain appoints its first Minister for Loneliness
【譯文】People nowadays are too busy to meet with friends and relatives and most elderly people are often living alone, which has aroused the attention of the British society. On January 17, the Prime Minister Theresa May announced the appointment of a "Minister for Loneliness" to combat solitude, saying that the government would collaborate with the public institutes, charitable organizations, society and business sectors to enhance social integration and work out a strategic plan this year.
The Red Cross described loneliness and social isolation as hidden epidemics that are negatively impacting on the health and wellbeing of all ages.
Equals smoking 15 cigarettes a day
The British government's initiatives in tackling the problem originated from the late Jo Cox, a member of the parliament from the British Labour Party who set up a committee to study the dangers of loneliness to the society. After she was fatally shot by a far-right activist few years ago, the committee continued her work and released a report last month, indicating that over nine million people in the country were suffering from chronic loneliness, which could be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes per day.
Appointing Tracey Crouch, whose official title is Minister for Sport and Civil Society, as the new "Minister for Loneliness", Theresa May said that loneliness was the upsetting reality of modern life and hoped people would join hands to take actions to address the loneliness the vulnerable groups endure who have no one to talk to or share their thoughts with, including the senior citizens and those who have lost their loved ones.
The British government has taken a variety of measures such as establishing an index of loneliness for all age groups for large-scale research purposes and setting up a fund to subsidize community activities, aiming to strengthen social integration and enhance the support for the loneliness-stricken group so that they might re-establish relationships with the local community.
Simple companionship is enough
A study of people who suffered from heart disease shows that those who live alone are more likely to face a greater risk of death than those who share a home with others.
Age UK, the leading British charity for the elderly, found that about 200,000 older people in the country had not had a conversation with a friend or relative in more than a month. Another charity Scope said up to 85% of young disabled adults felt lonely.
Jane Cummings, chief nursing officer of the National Health Service (NHS), said cold weather had been found to increase the risk of stroke and heart disease, while loneliness could make the situation even worse. She added that "simple acts of companionship" would make a difference, including visiting elderly friends, family members and neighbors regularly or buying daily necessities and medicines for them.
■龐嘉儀
小知識
英國新設「孤獨事務大臣」一職，同時是為了紀念面對孤獨問題、2016年6月脫歐公投前被殺害的工黨議員考克斯。
雖然考克斯的形象陽光外向，但妹妹利德比特透露，她進入大學和身為人母的時候感到極度孤單，非常渴望親友的慰藉。
親身經歷寂寞痛苦的考克斯其後發揮助己助人精神，成立跨黨派委員會幫助他人應對孤獨。
利德比特表示，出身北部工人階級的考克斯，入讀精英學府劍橋大學時感到不安和困難，儼如置身一個全新世界。考克斯誕下首名孩子後，在家中單獨照料兒子，經常在深夜致電利德比特訴苦。
考克斯在2015年5月當選國會議員後，致力令其他人不再孤單。