Prince George, B.C. – When it comes to facilities to treat burn survivors in Prince George, it’s time for a “severe upgrade.”

That from Barry Dyck, a burn survivor in town who says the current facilities at the University Hospital of Northern B.C. (UHNBC) simply don’t cut it.

“Right now what they have is sort of archaic and behind the times and they really need something – a shower for people who have been burnt from head to toe,” he says. “What they have now is a tub, they call it a whirlpool but they actually can’t get parts for it anymore.”

Dyck says a walk-in shower, though expensive (he doesn’t know how much), would be more cost effective in the long run.

“We have to get with the times. I’ve been in a walk-in shower in Victoria and anything you can do for cleanliness and to have a better result is worth while.”

Though UHNBC does not have a burn unit, Jonathan Dyck, media lead with Northern Health (no relation to Barry), says the health authority “works hard to care for patients requiring emergency services that have serious burns.”

“For more serious burns, as is the case with other hospitals in the province, a patient will be stabilized and transferred to a specialized hospital.”

Despite the current set up, he says they are reviewing their practices.

“We’re in the process of master planning to determine the service or services needed at UHNBC,” says Dyck. “That process is expected to conclude this fall and is an important step in planning for future healthcare needs.”

He continues: “Emergency services, as well as expanded services for burn and wound care, are part of this review.”