News / Health
Sood Chemists to say goodbye Gloucester Road
After 44 years of serving the community of Bishopston, St Andrew’s and the surrounding area, Sood Chemists will be changing hands on September 16.
Meaning Anoop and Sunita Sood, the pair behind the long running chemist, will be saying goodbye to their regulars.
The chemist has withstood Gloucester Road’s ever changing scene, the development of student housing and the closing of countless independent stores and cafes over the years.
is needed now More than ever
First brought in 1980, they initially brought the premises next door, but decided to downsize as supermarkets began selling traditional pharmacy items – Photo: Hannah Massoudi
Reflecting on their long tenure on Gloucester Road, Anoop Sood said “We’ve reached a stage, where we are serving the third and fourth generation of families.”
“I just met somebody who came to thank me, someone I did a pregnancy test for 30 years ago. And she came to thank me for how delicately I announced the good news.
“But, it’s not just recognising that you have be careful in what you do, sometimes it’s breaking news or telling them things they might not want to hear, but in a nice way and not to upset them too much.
“The intention of most pharmacists, when they work in the community, to serve the community, to help them. We are literally the last port of call”
During the pandemic especially so. An uptake in form filling, training for their staff and using PPE, he says that this was by far his most challenging experience.
“It was almost a step into the unknown.”
Even after the pandemic, more people have gone to pharmacies because of growing waiting times across the health care system.
Further responsibilities have since been dolled out to pharmacists, with the government allowing for GPs to refer patients straight to pharmacists.
“It could be something very minor, meaning we free GP’s time to deal with more serious problems. And most of them we can give advice or resolve the matter”
In times when the country has medication shortages, they do bare the brunt of it.
And while that has been challenging for them, he is keen to emphasise that that is “part of the pharmacy contract”.
“I had a choice of working in a hospital, but then I always loved meeting new people, face to face, and getting to a point where I recognise them
“I’m gonna miss that part the most.”
When asked why customers keep coming back, he is keen to leave it to his customers to explain.
Fortunately while leaving, Hasan Mematpour, a customer for over 25 years, upon hearing the news of his chemist’s departure, summarised “He’s very kind, very caring toward the patients. And always helpful in his professionalism”.
Regular customer, Hasan Metapour, was going to miss the strong rapport with the staff – Photo: Hannah Massoudi
Sood leaves me on the note that many of the same people will remain working there, “the only thing is my face won’t be there”.
But the pair won’t be gone completely, for those wanting to see a friendly and familiar face, albeit far less regularly, they will have to trek just a little bit further up the road to Church Road, where they will be operating out of a smaller Sood Chemists.
Main photo: Hannah Massoudi
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