Deprivation of patient liberty: a qualitative study of current practice among geriatricians in a tertiary setting.

Background: The Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015 in Ireland is designed to support and maximise a person's capacity to make decisions, although it has not yet commenced. Amendments to the legislation propose to deal with deprivation of liberty of persons lacking capacity. Health care professionals such as geriatricians will need to focus on enabling patient autonomy in response to legislative changes.