A junior doctor whose passionate defence of the NHS was read by thousands has been found dead at her home in Devon.

Rebecca Ovenden, 32, had worked in the A&E department of Plymouth’s Derriford Hospital and for Devon Air Ambulance. Police said her death was not being treated as suspicious.

In November 2015, Dr Ovenden had written a Facebook post about the pressures of working in an NHS hospital which was shared more than 38,000 times, reported the Plymouth Herald.

“I heard a patient's relative comment the other night at work ‘we waited four hours for that’,” it said.

“I wish I could have turned to them and said 'YES! – BLESS THE NHS! It is because of the NHS you can walk into an Emergency Department at 1.35 in the morning and no matter your complaint be seen by a doctor.

“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?”

In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Doctor in acute medicine, Melissa Haskins, holds up a 'I ain't afraid of no Hunt' sign whilst striking with other junior doctors outside her hospital, St Thomas' Hospital in London Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Accident and emergency junior doctor, Jennifer Hulse, holds a homemade placard outside St Thomas' Hospital as she strikes with colleagues in London Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Demonstrators and Junior doctors hold placards as they protest outside the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, in Basingstoke during a strike by junior doctors Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Demonstrators and Junior doctors hold placards as they protest outside the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, in Basingstoke during a strike by junior doctors Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike A supporter displays a slogan on her bag during a junior doctors' strike outside St Thomas' Hospital in London Reuters In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike The picket line outside King's College Hospital in London PA In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike The picket line outside King's College Hospital in London, as thousands of junior doctors begun the first all-out strike in the history of the NHS after the Health Secretary said the Government would not be "blackmailed" into dropping its manifesto pledge for a seven-day health service PA In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Junior doctors and supporters take part in a strike outside the Royal United Hospital in Bath Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Doctor in acute medicine, Melissa Haskins, holds up a 'I ain't afraid of no Hunt' sign whilst striking with other junior doctors outside her hospital, St Thomas' Hospital in London Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Dave Prentis, UNISON general secretary visits a British Medical Association picket line at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, to show support for striking junior doctors on the second day of the union's annual health conference PA

Dr Ovenden, known as Becky to those who knew her, was from Grantham in Lincolnshire and lived with her husband, a marine engineer, according to Devon Live.

Her body was found on the morning of 28 March and police said there was no suggestion her death was connected to her work.

Her colleagues have paid tribute to the “talented” and “much-loved” doctor.

“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,” said Nigel Hare, operations director of Devon Air Ambulance.

And Anne Hicks, consultant in Emergency Medicine at Derriford Hospital, told the Plymouth Herald: “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.”

“No, not another. Heartbreaking news,” wrote junior doctor Rachel Clarke on Twitter.

The numbers behind the NHS crisis

Another junior doctor, Lauren Phillips, has been missing for five weeks after she failed to show up for work at a hospital in Bristol.

Avon and Somerset police have said they are concerned for the welfare of the 26-year-old, whose car was found in the seaside town of Woolacombe in Devon.