A robotic surgical system comprising: a first surgical instrument having a proximal end, a distal first end effector suitable for insertion into a patient, and an intermediate portion (14.1) between the proximal end and the first end effector; a first manipulator configured to support the proximal end of the first surgical instrument so as to move the first surgical instrument from outside the patient; the first manipulator and first surgical instrument together comprising a first manipulator assembly having a first plurality of driven joints, the first plurality of driven joints being configured to provide sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states for a given position of the first end effector while the intermediate portion (14.1) passes through an access site; a second manipulator configured to support a second surgical instrument, the second surgical instrument having a distal second end effector, the second manipulator and second surgical instrument together comprising a second manipulator assembly having a second plurality of driven joints, the second plurality of driven joints being configured to provide sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states for a given position of the second end effector; an input configured to receive a movement command to effect a desired movement of the first end effector within a surgical workspace; and a processor coupling the input to the first manipulator assembly, the first and second manipulators (304a-b) being movable simultaneously in response to signals from the processor, the processor being configured to: determine movements of the first plurality of driven joints in response to the command to effect the desired movement so that the intermediate portion (14.1) of the first surgical instrument is within the access site during the desired movement of the first end effector, and calculate the movements of the first plurality of driven joints so as to drive the first manipulator assembly towards a first predetermined configuration and to drive the second manipulator assembly towards a second predetermined configuration during the desired movement of the first end effector so as to inhibit collisions between the first and second manipulators (304a-b) when the first and second manipulators (304a-b) are adjacent to each other. a first surgical instrument having a proximal end, a distal first end effector suitable for insertion into a patient, and an intermediate portion (14.1) between the proximal end and the first end effector; a first manipulator configured to support the proximal end of the first surgical instrument so as to move the first surgical instrument from outside the patient; the first manipulator and first surgical instrument together comprising a first manipulator assembly having a first plurality of driven joints, the first plurality of driven joints being configured to provide sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states for a given position of the first end effector while the intermediate portion (14.1) passes through an access site; a second manipulator configured to support a second surgical instrument, the second surgical instrument having a distal second end effector, the second manipulator and second surgical instrument together comprising a second manipulator assembly having a second plurality of driven joints, the second plurality of driven joints being configured to provide sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states for a given position of the second end effector; an input configured to receive a movement command to effect a desired movement of the first end effector within a surgical workspace; and a processor coupling the input to the first manipulator assembly, the first and second manipulators (304a-b) being movable simultaneously in response to signals from the processor, the processor being configured to: determine movements of the first plurality of driven joints in response to the command to effect the desired movement so that the intermediate portion (14.1) of the first surgical instrument is within the access site during the desired movement of the first end effector, and calculate the movements of the first plurality of driven joints so as to drive the first manipulator assembly towards a first predetermined configuration and to drive the second manipulator assembly towards a second predetermined configuration during the desired movement of the first end effector so as to inhibit collisions between the first and second manipulators (304a-b) when the first and second manipulators (304a-b) are adjacent to each other. determine movements of the first plurality of driven joints in response to the command to effect the desired movement so that the intermediate portion (14.1) of the first surgical instrument is within the access site during the desired movement of the first end effector, and calculate the movements of the first plurality of driven joints so as to drive the first manipulator assembly towards a first predetermined configuration and to drive the second manipulator assembly towards a second predetermined configuration during the desired movement of the first end effector so as to inhibit collisions between the first and second manipulators (304a-b) when the first and second manipulators (304a-b) are adjacent to each other.