Inspectors rated England's largest women's prison reasonably good on three of four tests. They raised concerns about mentally unwell women, drug withdrawal care and too little time out of cell.
Inspectors lifted the women's prison's safety grade from poor and praised its governor, but found very unwell women held for too long and too little to do.
Inspectors found a busy reception prison under constant strain, with high violence and self-harm, too few activity places and chaotic preparation for release.
The inspectorate's report on HMP & YOI Portland, published in November 2022, praised an impressive turnaround under new leadership but warned of rising self-harm, stretched mental health services and too little full-time work.
