He might own one of Australia’s fastest growing companies, but Queensland pharmacist Michael Bonner is never too busy to help people in need.
On Wednesday nights, he runs a free health clinic at an inner‑city safe house in Brisbane, which provides vulnerable people with essentials — including food and water.
He volunteers to assist with wound care, infection management, medicines continuity, and diabetes and respiratory condition management.
“Equitable healthcare cannot simply exist where it’s convenient to deliver.
“It must also exist where it’s needed most,” he says.
His company, Choice Chemist, is built on this philosophy, employing around 150 onsite pharmacists at aged care facilities around the country.
Equitable healthcare cannot simply exist where it’s convenient to deliver. It must also exist where it’s needed most.
Fast 100 list
Last year, Choice Chemist was recognised as the second fastest growing company in the Australian Financial Review Fast 100 List.
Michael’s business supports more than 500 aged care facilities and serves about 40 percent of the market in the Federal Government’s Aged Care Onsite Pharmacist program.
Community pharmacies and aged care providers have been able to access government funding to employ onsite pharmacists in aged care homes since July 2024, after the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety highlighted flaws in medication management.
Michael had spent years working as clinical pharmacist consultant in aged care.
He also provides training services through his other company, the Pharmacy Care Academy.
Pharmacists working face‑to‑face with elderly patients can improve their quality of life, he says.
“We aren’t the first pharmacists doing medication reviews for vulnerable individuals, but we are demonstrating how pharmacists can play larger roles at a national level.”
Early-on care
Having done both a pharmacy and business degree, Michael’s interest in the commercial and operational side of pharmacy began early on.
We aren’t the first pharmacists doing medication reviews for vulnerable individuals, but we are demonstrating how pharmacists can play larger roles at a national level.
When he was still at university, Michael’s father, who worked as both a community pharmacist and cattle farmer in regional New South Wales, invited him to see how medication reviews work at an aged care home.
What stood out was pharmacists’ expertise in managing symptoms and medication side effects for complex patients.
Aged care will highly benefit from pharmacists working at top of scope, he says.
“We are already influencing prescribing decisions at the coal face.
“Looking at deprescribing or commencing therapies, supporting GPs in those decisions when we collaborate via medication reviews.”
His ambition to help people, however, expands far beyond aged care.
“Many of our pharmacists might be working in an aged care facility a few days a week, but increasingly they are getting out into equity care settings, such as homelessness hubs and safe spaces.
“They support vulnerable individuals who are either experiencing crisis and instability, or living on the streets.”
Michael credits the company’s success to his team and its investment in specialised software that supports pharmacists working in aged care, helping to drive efficiencies.
“Our capacity to scale these embedded pharmacy roles in aged care is what sets us apart,” he says.
Many of our pharmacists might be working in an aged care facility a few days a week, but increasingly they are getting out into equity care settings, such as homelessness hubs and safe spaces.
Philanthropic pursuits
Sadly, Michael’s mother, Helen Bonner, passed away from breast cancer when he was 11 years of age.
Having been crowned Miss Australia in 1968, her involvement in charity work has been the driving force behind Michael’s motivation to make a difference.
In recent years, he has volunteered on healthcare projects in Cambodia and Nepal and established the Wellness Partners Foundation, a charity which supports vulnerable Australians through innovative pharmacy services.
His involvement in other good causes is beyond admirable and seemingly endless.
“I love solving problems and where I see gaps in service, I love being able to allocate resources and work out ways to close those gaps.
