The British and Irish Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (BIHIMA)—a trade association for the hearing care industry that raises consumer awareness of hearing technology—has released the combined Q4 2017/2018 results showing the unit sales of its member companies, BIHIMA announced.

Please click here for a full copy of the 2017 Q4 2017/2018 Market Statistics report. BIHIMA 2017-18 Market Statistics Q4

The BIHIMA reports that the NHS market in the UK is up from 337,228 in Q3, to 388,754 units sold in Q4. The growth for the full year was 3.7% for 2017 compared to 2016.

Meanwhile, the BIHIMA report shows that the private market in the UK has recently slowed slightly from 79,627 in Q3 to 79,110 in Q4, but the growth for 2017 as a whole still holds strong at 4%. The Irish market also declined slightly in the final quarter, down from 14,539 units distributed in Q3 to 13,637 in Q4.

BIHIMA also tracks the trends in the types of technology being selected by patients in the private sector. The Q4 results demonstrate the continued decline of BTE (behind-the-ear) technology, down at 4.2% of the market share, compared to the RITE (receiver-in-the-ear) style which now accounts for 68.4% of units sold privately.

In its role as the voice for the hearing technology industry, BIHIMA releases the results of its members every quarter. To keep up to date with the latest market information, download the results here: https://www.bihima.com/resources/statistics/.

“In order to be a mouthpiece for the hearing technology industry, BIHIMA monitors the market very closely to spot important developments and keep the hearing sector well informed,” said BIHIMA chairman, Paul Surridge. “We are pleased to report that the hearing technology market has ended 2017/18 in a strong position and we expect to see continued growth in the new fiscal year ahead.”

Source: BIHIMA