the number of people who treat the NHS as a religion <<<<< the number of smug politicos convinced that the entire country treats the NHS as a religion

We do! We declare a vague affiliation when required and use it for births, deaths and the odd other significant event.

Yes people have got a bit carried away with the genuinely unusual* situation that the NHS is treated as a national institution. *Relative to other countries

Certainly, it does not describe anyone who uses or works for the NHS.

if you think the British public treat the NHS as a religion then yes, I mean you