April 4, 2017 8.26 am This story is over 83 months old

Tributes to Lincolnshire-born junior doctor found dead in her home

Tributes have been paid to a junior doctor originally from Lincolnshire found dead in her home. Rebecca Ovenden, 32, who worked for Devon Air Ambulance and Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, was found by her husband Paul after concern was raised for her welfare. Police are not treating her death as suspicious. Grantham-born Dr Ovenden, who…
Rebecca Ovenden, 32, was found dead at her home. Photos: Facebook

Tributes have been paid to a junior doctor originally from Lincolnshire found dead in her home.

Rebecca Ovenden, 32, who worked for Devon Air Ambulance and Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, was found by her husband Paul after concern was raised for her welfare.

Police are not treating her death as suspicious.

Grantham-born Dr Ovenden, who was known as Becky, had previously written about the pressures at A&E, in particular recounting a patient’s relative complaining about having to wait for four hours.

In a post shared thousands of times, she wrote: “Please don’t complain in earshot of your health care professional about waiting four hours to be seen in the middle of the night, free of charge by a doctor, with a smile on their face who has not been rude to you, who has reassured you, when the reason it took four hours to see you was because they were trying to save the life of an elderly man who had not wanted to make a fuss about a cold when he was dying of a raging chest infection.

“Be thankful of the service you get at the moment, no matter how crappy you might think it is. You never know when you or a loved one might need it.

“It may not be around in its current form for much longer. Then what would you say?”

Tributes have been made to Becky by her colleagues in hospital and the air ambulance.

Anne Hicks, consultant in emergency medicine at Derriford, led the tributes to the “talented doctor”.

She said: “Becky worked in the Emergency Department for 18 months and was a much-loved member of our team.

“She will be very sadly missed.

“Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones.”

Helena Holt, chief executive at Devon Air Ambulance, said: “On behalf of everyone at Devon Air Ambulance we send our thoughts and condolences to Becky’s family, friends and work colleagues at this difficult time.”

Nigel Hare, the air ambulance operations director, added: “We were very sad to hear of Becky’s passing.

“She was a talented doctor and much respected member of our team and will be missed by us all.”

An inquest into her death has been adjourned for a fuller hearing at a later date.