SCORES of Merseyside doctors made a last-gasp bid to kill off the Government's controversial NHS overhaul, as MPs prepared to vote on the Bill.

No fewer than 60 health professionals from across Merseyside signed a letter insisting the reworked Health and Social Care Bill "will cause irreparable harm to the health service" – despite a staggering 1,000 amendments.

The protest also accused David Cameron of "misleading the public by repeatedly stating that there will be no privatisation of the NHS".

But ministers accused critics of "ludicrous scaremongering", as MPs began two days of debate on the Bill – ruling out further big concessions.

As few as six Lib-Dems are expected to rebel tonight.

Yesterday, Southport MP John Pugh – a leading critic of the shake-up – agreed it would have better if the Bill had been "strangled at birth", but said it was now too late to kill it.

Instead, the Lib-Dem has tabled a series of amendments and is hopeful that ministers will give ground on at least one, restrictions on private-sector treatment in NHS hospitals.

David Cameron was forced to slam the brakes on the Bill earlier this year, setting up an independent review that found the original blueprint had sparked "genuine and deep-seated concerns".