PATIENTS in Boston suffering from certain blood disorders are to receive special attention from a new consultant at Pilgrim Hospital.

Consultant haematologist Dr Ciro Rinaldi specialises in myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs) and has big plans for the development of treatments.

He intends to start and run a clinic specifically for patients with MPDs such as leukaemia and thrombocythemia.

The Italian-born doctor is also in talks with several centres around the UK regarding the trial of new drugs which he believes will be key in treating sufferers in the future.

Dr Rinaldi said: "I heard about the excellent reputation of the haematology department at Pilgrim Hospital some months ago and this is why I applied for my current position.

"The haematology department at Pilgrim Hospital is very well organised and provides an exemplary service to the local community. I hope that I can now help to contribute to this."

Dr Rinaldi is an expert in MPDs having worked within the speciality field for the past four years, in a research and clinical capacity.

With his expertise in MPD research, Dr Rinaldi is planning to create a research group at the Pilgrim in collaboration with departments at other hospitals within United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and the University of Cambridge.

The research group will study the development of acute and chronic leukaemia.

For ten years prior to his appointment at the Pilgrim he worked in the haematology department at the University Federico II in Naples.

He then spent 18 months working for the University of Illinois in Chicago, USA, and while there he worked on concluding studies into MPD.

Dr Rinaldi belongs to key research groups in Italy, Europe and the USA.