In the March 2021 BJA Education podcast, Pooja Shah speaks to Dr Carroll and Dr Young about intraoperative cell salvage. We talk about what intraoperative cell salvage is and who it can benefit, including populations previously thought to be ineligible for it. Importantly, we also discuss the logistics around cell salvage including how the anaesthetist can direct creation of a service. Blood products' supply in the country is at an all-time low; it is time we started re-thinking and re-defining our perioperative blood management strategies.