IT was an important milestone for the NHS. The Glasgow Herald said it elicited “grins and groans” from doctors and the general public alike “but the overall picture must be one of satisfaction.” The question of the cost of the NHS, however, “is still one of vital importance.” Gross expenditure had risen by 70 per cent over the previous decade, and drug costs had remained fairly high despite prescribers making “genuine attempts at economy.”

These words were written on July 5, 1958, when the NHS was 10 years old. And generally, these sentiments can still be detected today as the service launched by Aneurin Bevan marks its landmark 70th birthday.

Is there a British institution that remains as well-loved as the NHS? The monarchy, perhaps, and the BBC and the armed forces, but there is a truly remarkable well-spring of undying support and affection for the health service throughout - and partly because of - its endless tribulations.

A 2013 survey found that, of all our institutions, the NHS was most popular with Britons from all backgrounds and across social classes. Seventy two per cent of people described it as “a symbol of what is great about Britain and we must do everything we can to maintain it.”

The NHS has weathered any number of crises in recent years: waiting-times, funding issues, staffing shortages, winter crises, the need to cater for an ageing and growing population. The habit of the two main UK parties of treating it as a political football is the precise reason why, according to the Bevan Commission, the serious problems facing the NHS are not being tackled.

Theresa May’s headline-generating promise of £400m extra in weekly NHS England spending within five years quickly gave way to doubts over her claim that the money would stem from a “Brexit dividend.” And Brexit itself will create further headaches for NHS managers when it comes to recruiting staff.

But it is instructive to remind ourselves not only that the NHS model of universal healthcare is catching on across the world, but also that the service has made astonishing progress in adapting technology to patients’ needs. The cutting-edge genome-mapping project in England, to take just one example. has enormous potential insofar as the personalisation of treatment is concerned. And a myriad of smart-tech applications are transforming healthcare as we know it.

Debates have long been underway as to the best method of funding the NHS. They will rage long and hard, as they must. There are many other issues relating to the way the NHS operates that will need to be addressed. But, as imperfect as it is, it is also instructive to remind ourselves that the NHS deserves our veneration and gratitude.