URBRUM Resource Key & The Waiting Room Directory

What is Urbrum?
Urbrum, as a web-based community centred platform, is all about discovering innovative ways of engaging communities with their own health and wellbeing and the health and well-being of those around them. Its approach to engagement, information and intelligence sees communities as both the recipients and providers of health and well-being intelligence with a view that through such an organic process, services and support will continue to best reflect what communities need and want.

What is the URBRUM Key About?

The Urbrum Resource Key provides an alternative approach to taking control of our own health and well-being – it is a virtual bridge across “The Information Chasm” that connects support services to the recipient almost instantly – the Urbrum Resource Key by engaging citizens with sources of support directly and seamlessly is, in its own right an intervention, taking away the often wearisome process of finding the right place to get help – an online resource library of information and support that can be navigated with minimum difficulty. In addition, the ongoing management of the process is relatively small but engagement can be realised at high levels and monitored effectively.

The resource key does all this through adhering to a few simple principles:

1) To be innovative in technology we don’t have to invent – we just need to redefine or refine existent technologies that are relatively inexpensive, or better still, free and serve a useful purpose.
2) Make access to this technology easy and discreet through a convenient access route housed within a long-lasting product.
3) Don’t waste time and resources building new data from scratch – use existent web based data and from this framework develop the portfolio over time to best target communities and meet local need.
4) Recognise that informed choice is paramount for citizens in realising their own health and well-being – the resource key is all about informed choice.

What Are the Opportunities for This Approach?

The opportunities for Urbrum Resource key are many but will only be realised with investment both in respect of time, development opportunities and close partnership working.

Key priority opportunities for development as we see it are as follows:

1) The well-being agenda:
The resource key as a front-virtual intervention has great possibilities. Public Health would be in the position of targeting information to specific vulnerable communities providing them with instant access through the Waiting Room to vital local and national information that can support their needs and raise awareness.

2) Diversity in approach:

Through targeted marketing in a range of geographical settings, cost effective advertising of The Waiting Room can be realised – Examples include Beer Mats in pubs, on clothing, on bus shelters, on bill-boards, in A&E Departments, GP Practices, The Courts, Prisons, Police Stations, in taxis, on taxis, on Buses, on email signatures, pharmacy bags – basically wherever there is a space etc.

3) To be the Birmingham Virtual One Stop Shop for Well-Being

The Health and Social Care sector is being crippled by demands placed upon it. The Resource Key is a cost effective way of enabling people to engage with their own health and well-being on their terms at the earliest juncture possible. Through empowering citizens to look after their own health and well-being through utilising existent, often previously unknown resources, the demand on front line health and social care should reduce and the opportunity for front line services in health and social care to signpost citizens to such health and well-being opportunities has to be beneficial for all. It also means that people are enabled to access the right services and the right time to best meet their needs as quickly and efficiently as possible.