A device for holding a surgical instrument, the device having a telescopic drive comprising: a support (8)； a first telescopic stage (5) carried by the support, the first telescopic stage being able to perform a first motion with respect to the support； a second telescopic stage (4), which is able to perform a second motion with respect to the first telescopic stage； and a drive system (9), which is operable to drive the first and second motions, so that the first telescopic element performs the first motion and the second telescopic element simultaneously performs the second motion, wherein the telescopic drive is operable to support a further device and to move the further device such that the movement is centred around a point or wherein each of the telescopic stages is arcuate.
